Volcan de Pichincha. Tafel 61.

Title

Volcan de Pichincha. Tafel 61.

Description

View of the volcanic region of Pichincha near Quito, Ecuador. The composition combines scientifically precise topographical observation with the aesthetic qualities of landscape depiction characteristic of the period. With an index numbered 1–6. From Humboldt’s celebrated work Vues des Cordillères et Monumens des Peuples Indigènes de l’Amérique. Drawn by Marchais after a sketch by M. de Humboldt, engraved by Bouquet in 1813, and printed at the Imprimerie de Langlois, Paris, 1820.

ca. 1820

Artist

Humboldt von Alexander Friedrich (1769-1859)

Alexander von Humboldt (1769–1859) was a German naturalist, geographer, and explorer, and is regarded as one of the most distinguished polymaths of the 19th century. During his great expedition to the Americas from 1799 to 1804, he explored extensive regions of South and Central America together with Aimé Bonpland. Among other subjects, they investigated volcanoes, mountain ranges, climate, vegetation, and the geological conditions of the Andes. Humboldt combined precise scientific measurements with striking and highly detailed landscape depictions. His observations of Pichincha and other volcanoes in Ecuador became an important part of his extensive scientific publications. He is particularly renowned for his work Vues des Cordillères et Monumens des Peuples Indigènes de l’Amérique, which contains numerous landscapes, volcanoes, maps, and cultural and historical records from his American expedition. Humboldt’s holistic approach to the natural world had a lasting influence on the development of modern geography, geology, climatology, and ecology.

Historical Description

Pichincha is a volcano in Ecuador, located directly west of the capital city Quito. It is a complex of several volcanic peaks, the highest being Rucu Pichincha (4,698 m). The volcano is historically significant because the Battle of Pichincha was fought on its slopes on 24 May 1822, resulting in a decisive victory for the independence forces and contributing to Ecuador’s independence from Spanish rule. The Guagua Pichincha is the active western summit and has experienced several eruptions, most notably in 1999, when ashfall affected Quito.