The Colosseum

1856
Not on view
Jane St. John was most likely attracted to photography through her close friendship with the Llewelyn family of Penllergare, who affectionately knew her as "Aunt Jane." When she and her husband made an extended tour of Italy in 1856, she became an indefatigable photographer, documenting every stage of their journey as they made their way north from Naples, via Rome, Florence, Venice, and Como. Sending a group of prints to Emma Llewelyn, whose album we display here, she added, "Pray look at me sitting on the wall under the Colosseum. I sat there only a few minutes only to show the size, for as I was doing the photographs alone, I could not stay long of course."

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: The Colosseum
  • Artist: Jane Martha St. John (British, Coln St. Aldwyn, Gloucestershire 1801–1882 Oakley, Hampshire)
  • Date: 1856
  • Medium: Albumen silver print from paper negative
  • Dimensions: Image: 19.5 x 25 cm (7 11/16 x 9 13/16 in.)
  • Classification: Photographs
  • Credit Line: Gilman Collection, Gift of The Howard Gilman Foundation, 2005
  • Object Number: 2005.100.382 (68)
  • Curatorial Department: Photographs

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