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Sculpture - Colossal Arm, now in the Courtyard of the Palazzo de' Conservatori on the Capitol

John Henry Parker

1867

photographic

From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum

Impressionism Realism Late 19th Century

Dominant colour

Sculpture - Colossal Arm, now in the Courtyard of the Palazzo de' Conservatori on the Capitol 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 a broken stone statue half-buried in a dim room. Only the upper body remains, with a draped cloth over the head. The rough edges of the break are visible where the rest of the statue is missing. This image was taken in the 1860s, showing how old ruins were documented before they were restored. The lighting is flat, with no strong shadows. Check out the Victoria and Albert Museum to see more photos like this.

The story of this work

Overview

A photograph documents a surviving fragment of the Colossus of Constantine, depicting an arm from the wrist upward, currently located in the courtyard of the Palazzo dei Conservatori on Rome’s Capitoline Hill. The image is part of a larger photographic survey of classical and early modern monuments in Rome, produced between 1864 and 1879 under the direction of John Henry Parker. The project, published in Parker’s multi-volume *Archaeology of Rome*, involved a team of local and international photographers and is now partly preserved in the collections of the Victoria and Albert Museum.

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