The Eruption of Vesuvius  The Eruption of Vesuvius is the name of several 1821 paintings by the Norwegian artist Johan Christian Dahl. He travelled to Italy in 1820, spending a short time in Rome before moving on to Naples, arriving in time for the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in December that year. He was one of the first to climb the mountain. There are at least seven versions of the painting, three are exhibited in the Danish National Gallery in Copenhagen, in the Kode Museum in Bergen and the final one in Städel Museum in Frankfurt.