The Temple of Isis at Pompeii

1788

From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art

Dominant colour

The Temple of Isis at Pompeii is a 1788 by Francesco Piranesi, a Romanticism work, held at Cleveland Museum of Art.

Who painted this?: Francesco Piranesi
When & what style?: 1788 · Romanticism
Where can I see it?: Cleveland Museum of Art

About this work

You see a crumbling Roman temple half-buried in vines, its columns cracked but still standing. This print was made as a souvenir for travelers in the 1700s, after Pompeii was dug up from under volcanic ash. The artist drew what he saw, then etched it so people could take a piece of history home. It’s like an old postcard—accurate, but also a little dramatic. For more prints like this, look up the subject *Italy, 18th century*.

The story of this work

Overview

Buried under layers of volcanic ash since the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 CE, the ancient Roman sites of Herculaneum and Pompeii were rediscovered and excavated in the 1700s. Remarkably well preserved, the two cities captured the imagination of Enlightenment Europe. Artists Francesco Piranesi and Louis Jean Desprez capitalized on the popularity of the ancient sites, creating an innovative souvenir of Pompeii. Etched by Piranesi, the prints were based on Desprez’s real-life observations. The latter artist hand colored and signed select impressions that the two advertised as dessins…