Templum Saturni, from a Series of 24 Depicting (Reconstructed) Buildings from Roman Antiquity

Perspectival depiction of the left part of a temple, referred to as the ‘Templum Saturni’. The building is characterized by its central plan, placed on a two-stepped podium that follows the contour of the floorplan. The main body of the building is circular in shape, with an avant-corps on the front and left side marked by semi-circular absidioles on the ground floor level and a portico with a pediment on the second floor. The building is crowned by a cupola supported by a double drum and a pointed tip.

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 printed from the same plate as the 'Templum Isaiae Prophetae'.