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Drawing 7 (third row, centre): Corinthian-type capital possibly from Hadrian’s Villa at Tivoli
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Reference number
SM volume 115/138g
Purpose
Drawing 7 (third row, centre): Corinthian-type capital possibly from Hadrian’s Villa at Tivoli
Aspect
Perspectival view
Scale
Not known
Signed and dated
- c.1515
Datable to c.1515
Medium and dimensions
Pen and brown ink over black chalk with single vertical stylus line at centre
Hand
Bernardo della Volpaia
Notes
The capital has a head at the centre (possibly female), and two further heads on either side as the culminating features of volutes of reversed shape. It may be one of those from the Piazza d’Oro of Hadrian’s Villa at Tivoli which are broadly similar in design, having heads at the sides affixed to discs encircled by the volutes, but surviving specimens are very damaged where a central head might have been (see Von Mercklin 1962, pp. 121–22). No other drawings are known of capitals of this type. Exploration of Hadrian’s villa had begun in the late fifteenth century but made little headway before the time of Pirro Ligorio in the mid sixteenth century.
The drawing is close in style to others on the sheet, and different from other depictions of capitals in the codex, suggesting a slightly later date of execution.
The drawing is close in style to others on the sheet, and different from other depictions of capitals in the codex, suggesting a slightly later date of execution.
Literature
Ashby 1904, p. 68
Census, ID 46989
Census, ID 46989
Level
Drawing
Digitisation of the Codex Coner has been made possible through the generosity of the Census of Antique Works of Art and Architecture Known in the Renaissance, Berlin.
If you have any further information about this object, please contact us: drawings@soane.org.uk