A View of Mount Etna and A Nearby Town 1775

Joseph Wright of Derby painted this view of Mount Etna and a nearby town, using oil on canvas. Consider the volcano, Etna, a symbol steeped in layers of meaning. Historically, volcanoes like Etna have been seen as both destructive and generative forces. In Greek mythology, Etna was the forge of Vulcan, the god of fire, representing a place of immense power and creativity, but also danger. We see this duality echoed throughout art history—from Renaissance depictions of fiery hellscapes to Romantic landscapes that capture the sublime terror of nature. Think, for example, of Turner's seascapes, where storms evoke a similar sense of awe and fear. The volcano's plume of smoke, a recurring motif, evokes a kind of cyclical, non-linear progression. A reminder that symbols resurface, evolve, and take on new meanings in different historical contexts, engaging viewers on a deep, subconscious level.