Gezicht op de Etna over zee ten noorden van Capo Passero 1778

Louis Ducros made this watercolor of Mount Etna around the 1780s, when the volcano was an especially popular destination for artists and tourists alike. Ducros was a Swiss artist, who, like many others from Northern Europe, traveled to Italy to hone his skills and capitalize on the demand for picturesque landscapes. His views of Italy reflect an aesthetic appreciation for the sublime, where nature is seen as a powerful force, capable of inspiring awe and terror. The late 18th century was a time of growing interest in science and natural history. Etna, as an active volcano, embodied the dynamic forces that shaped the earth. Artists played a role in popularizing these new ways of seeing the natural world. Understanding Ducros's image requires an appreciation for the social and intellectual context in which it was made. Art history is about situating images in their time, looking at the institutions, travel routes and systems of patronage that made their creation and circulation possible.