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Section of a Roman cornice
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Section of a Roman cornice
Late 1st century AD
Luna marble
Height: 22cm
Width: 33cm
Thickness: 28cm
Width: 33cm
Thickness: 28cm
Museum number: M1255
Vermeule catalogue number: Vermeule 92
On display: Drawing Office - also known as the Students Room (pre-booked tours only)
All spaces are in No. 13 Lincoln's Inn Fields unless identified as in No. 12, Soane's first house.
For tours https://www.soane.org/your-visit
Curatorial note
The carving consists of the remains of a fascia and cyma recta (not as even as Tatham indicates in his drawing), a modillion course enriched with stylised acanthus foliage, egg and dart, fillet, dentil course, fillet, and a cyma reversa with waterleaf carving at the bottom.
From the form of the egg and dart and the decoration of the cyma reversa, this piece is datable to the period from the late first century AD, or to the late Flavian work of the Forum of Nerva1. It is mechanically carved, second rate work, having however the special merit of excellent preservation.
1 On Flavian architectural decoration see P.H. von Blanckenhagen, Flavische Architektur und ihre Dekoration untersucht am Nervaforum, Berlin, 1940.
From the form of the egg and dart and the decoration of the cyma reversa, this piece is datable to the period from the late first century AD, or to the late Flavian work of the Forum of Nerva1. It is mechanically carved, second rate work, having however the special merit of excellent preservation.
1 On Flavian architectural decoration see P.H. von Blanckenhagen, Flavische Architektur und ihre Dekoration untersucht am Nervaforum, Berlin, 1940.
Provenance
Rome: collected by Charles Heathcote Tatham for the architect Henry Holland during the 1790s. See Cornelius Vermeule, unpublished catalogue of the Antiquities at Sir John Soane's Museum, Introduction, transcription of Tatham letters, list 1, no.22. Entry states Prince Augustus' Cava as the location in which it was found. Tatham notes in pencil above his drawing and profile of this section, found in the Prince's Cava.
Literature
Tatham: Drawings, 14.
Soane collections online is being continually updated. If you wish to find out more or if you have any further information about this object please contact us: worksofart@soane.org.uk