When the ancient Roman sites were rediscovered in the eighteenth century, a vast array of objects was unearthed that provided detailed information about Roman life and art. News of the discoveries traveled fast, and soon a visit to Naples and the excavation sites became the southernmost stop on the Grand Tour of the Continent, an extended journey through Europe taken by wealthy young intellectuals. Tourists also were intrigued by the periodic bursts of activity from Mount Vesuvius, which erupted on a smaller scale several times in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Popular souvenirs of visits to the Bay of Naples were paintings of the eruptions and views of the ruins, as well as.
