A Reconstruction of the Temple of Divus Claudius in Monte Coelio (above) and a View of the Ruins (below)
before 1704
Medium
Red chalk, pen and black ink, brush and gray wash
Dimensions
13 x 8 7/64 in. (33.0 x 20.6 cm)
Classification
Drawings
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Helen and János Scholz, 1958
Accession Number
58.648.2(33)
Tags
Art Historical Context
Jan Goeree's *A Reconstruction of the Temple of Divus Claudius in Monte Coelio (above) and a View of the Ruins (below)*, created before 1704, captures the allure of ancient Rome through meticulous draftsmanship. This Dutch artist's drawing juxtaposes an imagined pristine reconstruction of the temple—dedicated to Emperor Claudius on Rome's Caelian Hill—with the poignant reality of its weathered ruins below. Goeree, trained in a family of artists and engravers, reflects the 17th-century fascination with classical antiquity, fueled by scholars and travelers documenting Rome's imperial past amid t...
About the Artist
Jan Goeree · 1670–1731
Comment on works: Painter; Draughtsman; Engraver; History; Subjects in landscapes