A Reconstruction of the Temple of Janus (above) and a View of the Ruins (below)
before 1704
Medium
Pen and black ink, brush and gray wash over red chalk
Dimensions
13 x 8 1/8 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(18)
Tags
Art Historical Context
Jan Goeree's *A Reconstruction of the Temple of (above) and a of the Ruins ()*, created before 1704,fully captures the allure of ancient Rome through a Dutch artist's keen eye for architecture. The upper section imagines the temple in its pristine glory—dedicated to Janus, the two-faced god of beginnings, transitions, and doorways—while the lower portrays its weathered ruins, complete with figures of men and women amid the decay. This dual composition reflects the era's growing fascination with classical antiquity, blending scholarly reconstruction with evocative ruin-gazing. Goeree (1660–173...
About the Artist
Jan Goeree · 1670–1731
Comment on works: Painter; Draughtsman; Engraver; History; Subjects in landscapes