Lot 402

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Description:

Antique Copper Engraving of the Temples at Paestum by Francesco Piranesi
Francesco PIRANESI (1758-1810) was the son of Giovanni Battista Piranesi (1720-1778), a famous archeologist, architect, antiquarian, artist and founder of what became an extremely well-known family workshop in Rome. As a family (together with Francesco's sister/ Giovanni Battista's other child, Laura), they ran a spectacular print workshop in Rome that focused on the promotion of the ruins and the classical architecture and design of Antiquity. Their engravings were made for both 18th c. aristocratic visitors who came to Italy to learn about Antiquity as part of "The Grand Tour" as well as for Italians interested in their own heritage. This particular engraving identifies itself in French as "Vue des restes interieurs d'un Pronaos du Temple de Neptune" [View of the interior ruins of a Pronaos of the Temple of Neptune." The engraving features the immense pronoas (entrance vestiblue area) before the ancient Temple of Hera II (sometimes also known as the Temple of Neptune) that was built around 450 BCE; other ruins are visible from the artist's standpoint, including the Temple of Athena (ca. 500 BCE). The representation puts us right in the middle of what appears to be a forest of columns that is somewhat overgrown by 19th c. vegetation. A few visitors of the temple are depicted; most of the men present are shepherds or weary travellers. These fantastic ruins are still visible in a similar state today and are some of the best preserved ancient Greek temples in all of Southern Italy, then known as Greater Greece—or Magna Graecia; today the location is in the Province of Salerno, Campania, just south of Naples.

    Dimensions:
  • 31" x 21"; framed dimensions: ca. 32" x 22"
  • Condition:
  • Good

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June 10, 2023 10:00 AM CDT
St. Louis, MO, US

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