Tivoli: The Temple of the Sibyl and the Campagna - II

Tivoli: The Temple of the Sibyl and the Campagna - II
Tivoli: The Temple of the Sibyl and the Campagna - II
Tivoli: The Temple of the Sibyl and the Campagna - II
Private Collection, North America
title=Credit line
Artist
Richard Wilson and Studio
Title
Tivoli: The Temple of the Sibyl and the Campagna - II
Date
Undated
Medium
Oil on canvas
Dimensions
Metric: 69.9 x 95.3 cm
Imperial: 27 1/2 x 37 1/2 in.
Collection
Private Collection, North America
Wilson Online Reference
P143A
Description
The town of Tivoli is seen from the north east across the gorge of the river Aniene (or 'Anio'), with the Roman Campagna and the city of Rome itself in the distance. To the left, on the cliff edge, is a small cluster of ancient buildings. These include the circular Roman Temple of Vesta and the rectangular Temple of the Tiburtine Sibyl.
Provenance
H.A. Baker; Frederick Rudolph Lambart, General the Earl of Cavan, K.P., 32 Prince's Gardens London SW7, sold (in Duke of Leeds sale) Christie's 20 June 1930 (100 - A View in Italy); bt by Thomas Agnew & Sons, London (£105); 13 January 1932, R.F. Goldschmidt, Manchester; Agnew's; H.A. Baker; by descent to his daughter, the Hon. Mrs Roger Ellis; Christie's 3 December 2008 (178); Private Collection, North America
Signature/inscription
No signature; No inscription
Subject
Tivoli is about 20 kilometres from Rome, on the lower slopes of the Sabine Hills. Its finest ruin, the so-called Temple of Vesta, is a circular building dating from the 1st century BC. Situated dramatically above a precipice and cascade, it has been admired by artists since the 16th century because of its picturesque location and became a famous attraction for Grand Tourists.
Related Drawings
D217 Tivoli with the Temples of Vesta and the Sibyl and the Grand Cascade, National Museum Wales, Cardiff
D280/10 Italian Sketchbook - Drawings pp. 10(v) and 11(r): The Temples of Vesta and the Sibyl at Tivoli, Yale Center for British Art, Paul Mellon Collection, New Haven
Versions
See 'Links' tab
Related Paintings
P45 The Temple of the Sibyl and the Campagna, National Gallery of Ireland, Dublin
Critical commentary
Wilson painted this composition, with travellers on a path in the foreground in place of the artist, in both horizontal and vertical formats. The present composition was successful to the extent that Constable lists nine autograph versions, the present painting included.
Bibliography
WGC, p. 224 pl.116b (2)
Link to WG Constable Archive Record
More Information
Until the later C18 the circular temple had been called the |Temple of the Sybil because of the site's ancient connection with the Tiburtine Sybil. It was then demonstrated by Giuseppe Vasi and others to have been a vestal temple and the small adjacent church containing some ancient elements was assumed to have been the Temple of Sybil.
Updated by Compiler
2019-10-09 00:00:00