Pierre-Jacques Volaire

Vernet was in France painting a series of seascapes for King Louis XV, which resulted in his Views of the Ports of France series (1754–1765). Despite his connections to Vernet, Volaire's exact artistic role in the series is uncertain. After serving under Vernet, Volaire left France for Rome in 1764, bringing with him his talents in landscape and seascape painting. He settled in Naples in 1769 where he lived until he died in 1799 or 1802. There is little else known about Volaire's personal life.

The recorded working language is French. Places of work recorded in the authority are Rome and Naples. Work by Pierre-Jacques Volaire is recorded in the collections of J. Paul Getty Museum, Nationalmuseum, Philadelphia Museum of Art, Staatliche Kunsthalle Karlsruhe and National Museum in Warsaw.

Using his training in landscape painting under Vernet, Pierre-Jacques Volaire became a specialist in depictions of Mount Vesuvius in eruption. During his lifetime, Volaire completed at least thirty Vesuvius paintings, many of which are now housed in museums around the world. These paintings were inspired by Volaire's many visits to the summit of Vesuvius, which was particularly active during the second half of the eighteenth century. • Illustration — Eruption of Mt. Vesuvius, 1777, North Carolina Museum of Art, Raleigh, North Carolina, 82.1 Volaire's Vesuvius paintings were typically commissioned by tourists on the Grand Tour, who sought to commemorate their visit to the volcano. Bergeret de Grancourt wrote of Volaire when he visited Vesuvius on 23 April 1774, “I was with a painter named M. Volaire [Pierre-Jacques Volaire] who succeeded superbly in rendering the horror of Vesuvius, of which I will bring back a painting”. It is unknown what happened to de Grancourt's painting. Over the course of thirty years Volaire witnessed at least two major eruptions of Vesuvius, including the one in 1779 and 1794. He may have also been present for the 1767 eruption. These eruptions, coupled with recent archaeological re-discoveries at Pompeii and Herculaneum, drew tourists to the Naples region and funded Volaire's career in Naples.

The authorities additionally record the headings Pierre Jacques Volaire, Pierre-Jacques Volair, Chev. De Volaire, Jacques-Antoine Volaire and Pierre-Jacques Antoine Volaire. His recorded language was French.