It continues to live on in legend and lore of the ancient Classical world, a cataclysmic volcanic eruption that snuffed out a whole city by surprise and remains a symbol of nature’s power and civilization’s fragility.
When Mount Vesuvius erupted in 79 A.D. and buried Pompeii deep in ash, a town and all its citizens were wiped out. But over centuries the worldliness and beauty of Rome have also been emerging from the ruins.
A fine-looking, family-friendly piece of that history and art will go on display Saturday at the UW-Madison’s Chazen Museum of Art, 800 University Ave.