An ancient altar from Albano: side view and plan. Etching by G.B. Piranesi, 1762.

  • Piranesi, Giovanni Battista, 1720-1778.
Date:
1764
Reference:
2975371i
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About this work

Description

A richly adorned four-footed altar. Piranesi shows one side of it, saying that the other side was inaccessible as it was embedded in the wall of the church, though according to Mangiafesta, loc. cit., it was later owned by Piranesi. On the side shown, a panel of foliate decoration is accompanied on one side by a Doric pilaster and on the other by an Ionic column. Above the Doric pilaster is a relief of a hound bringing down a deer, and above the Ionic column is a gryphon with a lyre. Above the reliefs are heads of gorgons with swags, and four different mouldings

Publication/Creation

1764

Physical description

1 print : etching ; image and border 43.7 x 24.7 cm

Lettering

Ara antica. Quest'ara quadrilatera con altra simile chiamate abusivamente tripodi serviano per l'acqua lustrale nella Chiesa di S. Maria della Stella in Albano. A Pilastro d'ordine Dorico. B Colonna d'ordina Ionico. La Colonna C, ed il pilastro D, essendo ambedue le are incastrate nel muro per la metà, non si può sapere se siano di due altri differenti ordini. Piranesi f. Bears number: Tav. VIII

References note

Maria Mangiafesta, 'Antichità dei colli Albani ai musei Capitolini dallo scavo al collezionismo', Bollettino dei Musei Comunali di Roma, 2012, XXVI: 5-20 (this work discussed pp. 5-6)

Reference

Wellcome Collection 2975371i

Type/Technique

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Where to find it

  • LocationStatusAccess
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