Open full image Pin

Ostia - Antique Fragments in the Museum

John Henry Parker

1867

photographic

From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum

Impressionism Realism Late 19th Century

Dominant colour

Ostia - Antique Fragments in the Museum is a 1867 photographic by John Henry Parker, a Impressionism work, held at Victoria and Albert Museum.

Who painted this?: John Henry Parker
When & what style?: 1867 · Impressionism
Where can I see it?: Victoria and Albert Museum

About this work

This photo shows broken stone carvings scattered on the ground. Some pieces are stacked, others lie flat, and a few still stand on pedestals. The carvings depict people and animals in rough shapes, with some showing faces and others just fragments of limbs or clothing. The photo was taken in 1864–1870, showing ancient ruins stored in a museum. The artist, John Henry Parker, focused on real-life details rather than idealized scenes. Check out the Victoria and Albert Museum to see more of these kinds of artifacts.

The story of this work

Overview

The photograph documents fragments of classical sculpture and architectural elements displayed in the museum of Ostia, the ancient Roman port city. It is part of a larger series of over 3,300 photographs produced between 1864 and 1879 under John Henry Parker’s direction, recording significant monuments and artifacts from Rome’s classical period to the 17th century. Many of these images were later published in Parker’s *Archaeology of Rome* (1874–1879), with contributions from local and international photographers. A substantial portion of the pre-1870 photographs is held by the Victoria and…

Read the full account in the museum source.

About the artist

Artist

John Henry Parker

John Henry Parker liked to explore old churches in Rome. He'd photograph the sculptures and carvings he found. One thing that stands out is his attention to detail - he'd capture tiny parts of bigger pieces, like the…

See the richer artist page