Temple of Peace (from Twelve Original Views in Italy)

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National Museum Wales, Cardiff

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Artist

Michael 'Angelo' Rooker (1746-1801) after Wilson

Title

Temple of Peace (from Twelve Original Views in Italy)

Date

Published 29 January 1776

Medium

Etching

Dimensions

Metric: 209 x 284 mm
Imperial: 8 1/4 x 11 3/16 in.

Collection

National Museum Wales, Cardiff. To license image, click here.

Accession Number

NMW A 10914

Wilson Online Reference

E32B

Description

An extensive view from within the shadow of a wide arch of the temple to villas and gardens in the sunlight beyond. A great white cloud can be seen in the sky. Two women and a child are in the foreground with other figures further off and a beggar by the wall on the left.

Exhibited

Tercentenary 2014 (114)

Provenance

Given by John Deffett Francis, 1886

Signature/inscription

Lettered below the image:
[1] Upper left: R. Wilson del.
[2] Upper right: M. Rooker sc.
[3] Centre: TEMPLE of PEACE.
[4] Publication line: Published Jan: 29 1776 by John Boydell Engraver in Cheapside London.
Inscribed:
[1] Lower left, pencil in modern hand: 7 3/8 x 10 1/2
[2] Lower right, pencil in modern hand: No. 8
[3] Lower right, pencil in modern hand: 86.171.D.F.

Collectors' marks

[1] Recto lower centre: John Deffett Francis (Lugt 1447)

Verso inscriptions

[1] Centre, pencil inverted: Centre No.4
[2] Lower left, pencil inverted: [mark and] 144

Subject

The Temple of Peace was the common name for the Roman forum built by the Emperor Vespasian. It was a favourite with artists of the time including Piranesi.

Related Drawings

D104 The Temple of Peace, Rome, The British Museum (1859,0709.112)

Versions

See 'Links' tab

Related Works by Other Artists

Francis Towne Roman Landscape, watercolour, 1795, Gorringe's Auctions, Lewes, 25 February 2015 (1173)

Critical commentary

This print is based on Wilson's drawing now in the British Museum (D104), where his adoption of an unconventional viewpoint beneath the wide coffered arch allowed him to create sharp contrasts between the foreground shadows and the sunlit gardens beyond. Twelve Original Views in Italy was published by John Boydell as a compilation of etchings by different printmakers, produced over a number of years, after Wilson's drawings or paintings. Michael 'Angelo' Rooker etched three prints for this series, the others being E42 In the Villa Adriana and E43 Villa of Maecenas at Tivoli. The other engravers involved were Joseph Farington, James Gandon, William Hodges and Edward Rooker.

Previous Cat/Ref Nos

86.171 DF

Bibliography

Edwards 1808, p. 88; Pilkington (1810 edn.); Binyon, p. 353 under 11; Wilson and Europe 2014, pp. 292-93

Updated by Compiler

11/05/2022

Temple of Peace (from Twelve Original Views in Italy)

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