Tem. Ro. Penatibus Dicatu, from a Series of Prints depicting (reconstructed) Buildings from Roman Antiquity

Perspectival depiction of a temple, seen in side view (?), referred to as the ‘Tem. Ro. Penatibus Dicatu.’. The building is characterized by its central plan and placed on high podium with steps leading up to it on the left side. The main body of the building is circular in shape, with an avant-corps on the front side. The building is crowned by a stepped cupola supported by a drum decorated with C-volutes and a lantern at the top. While the building appears to be fantastical in nature, it bears some resemblance, and almost seems a pastiche of the centralized temples depicted by Raphael and Perugino in their respective versions of the ‘Sposalizio’, and in the latter artist’s ‘Delivery of the Keys’.

The print is part of a group of architectural prints depicting buildings from Roman Antiquity, ranging from triumphal arches to bath houses, temples and palaces in Italy, France and Spain. Some of the buildings have been artificially reconstructed based on Medieval descriptions, while others are depicted in their ruinous states. The plates are known in several (uncatalogued) states, and have undergone minor changes over time. Several titles of buildings have been changed, and the plates have been cropped as a result of plate cracks and oxidation.

Most copper plates for this series have been engraved on both sides. This print is taken from the same plate as the 'Arcus Georgii'.

This group of prints was purchased as part of an an album in 1926, but taken apart by the Museum in 1934. The album appears to have been compiled in the 17th century, although the majority of prints date from the 16th century. The larger part of the prints is focused on mythological subjects and objects and architecture from Antiquity. The album was part of the collection of the architect Hippolyte Destailleur and was sold in the sale of his books and prints in 1895. The Museum acquired the album at G. Rapilly & Fils in 1926. Where the album had been kept in the mean time is unclear and several prints were taken out in this period. The museum's numbering does not reflect the order of the original album, but Destailleur's numbering system is retained on the inidividual sheets, allowing for the reconstruction of its original content.