Eruption of Krakatoa. Artwork of the May 1883 eruption of Krakatoa, a volcanic island in the Sunda Strait between the Indonesian islands of Sumatra and Java. The volcano is famous for its massive eruption in August 1883. This eruption had been followed by smaller eruptions earlier in the year, such as the one shown here. This eruption started on 20 May 1883, and lasted around 10 days. This artwork was based on the scene on 27 May 1883. During the May eruption, the ash column reached a height of 6 kilometres. The August 1883 eruption prompted many reports and investigations. This artwork was part of the evidence published in The Report of the Krakatoa Committee of the Royal Society (1888).