In 1842, Cole embarked on a Grand Tour of Europe in an effort to study in the style of the Old Masters and to paint its scenery. Most striking to Cole was Europe's tallest active volcano, Mount Etna. Cole was so moved by the volcano's beauty that he produced several sketches and at least six paintings of it. The most famous of these works is "A View from Mount Etna from Taormina" which is a oil on canvas. Cole also produced a highly detailed sketch "View of Mount Etna" which shows a panoramic view of the volcano with the crumbling walls of the ancient Greek theater of Taormina on the far right.