Overview

• The design originates from Sir William Hamilton’s 1775 concept inspired by Pietro Fabris’s 1771 watercolor and detailed sketches in the Bordeaux Municipal Library.
• Master’s students Xinyu (Jasmine) Xu and Yuji (Andy) Zeng spent three months building the device under Dr. Richard Gillespie’s supervision in The Creator Space workshop.
• The mechanism employs laser-cut timber, acrylic panels, programmable LED lights and electronic controls to simulate lava flows and volcanic explosions.
• Hamilton conceived the clockwork-driven artwork after observing multiple eruptions of Mount Vesuvius as British ambassador to Naples and Sicily and sponsoring early volcanology studies.
• The fully operational model now serves as the centerpiece of The Grand Tour exhibition at the University’s Baillieu Library, open until June 28, 2026.