Pompeii

What you see

A tall fluted column with a leafy capital rises at the center on its pedestal, with a stretch of another broken column behind it. On the right a volcano sends up a thin plume of smoke; on the left are trees and a calm bay dotted with sailboats. Fallen blocks and steps litter the ground. Two men talk at lower left, and farther back others dig near the water.

The upright canvas ends at the top in a pale arch that frames the sky. A soft light of creams, pinks and lilacs prevails, with no harsh shadows. Look for the man raising a pick among the diggers, and the greenery climbing the base of the column.