to the same scale as SM 44/8/14

as above, dimensions given in Spanish p[ie]

Pen, pencil on coarse laid paper (296 x 389)

Soane

Inscribed and drawn by Soane, this drawing must be a copy since Soane uses a scale of Spanish Feet divided into 18 inches. The Spanish foot or 'pie' varied in length depending on region but (latterly and pre-metric) was smaller than an English foot by an inch or more. Soane made a freehand drawing of the entablature in profile with dimensions in English feet and inches in a sketchbook see (in Sketchbooks catalogue): 'Miscellaneous Sketches', 1780-2 (SM volume 40, f.72recto). On this, he marked the frieze as 3 feet 3 inches (English feet) high while on drawing 3 it is marked as p 3.10½ (Spanish feet). Professor du Prey (January/February 2009) suggests that the Spaniard Juan de Villaneuva was in Rome earlier and that he or or some successor from the Madrid Academy may have been Soane's source or possible collaborator.

The drawing shows the ten surviving Corinthian columns of a temple built by Antoninus and dedicated to his wife the Empress Faustina, who died A.D.141. After his death in A.D.161, the temple was dedicated to both of them. (L. Richardson, jr, A New topographical dictionary of ancient Rome, Baltimore, 1992)

Converted into the Church of San Lorenzo in Miranda at some time before the 12th century and given a Baroque facade in 1602.

Drawing

Digitisation of the Drawings Collection has been made possible through the generosity of the Leon Levy Foundation

If you have any further information about this object, please contact us: drawings@soane.org.uk