Stage Design, The Erectheion on the Acropolis, Athens, Greece
early 19th century
Classification
theater
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Museum purchase through gift of various donors and from Eleanor G. Hewitt Fund
Accession Number
1938-88-305
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
Romolo Achille Liverani an Italian artist active in the early 19th century (1809–1872), this captivating stage design depicting the Erectheion, the iconic ancient temple on Athens' Acropolis. Known its elegant Ionic columns and the famous Caryatid porch—where statues of draped maidens serve as supports—this neoclassical ruin symbolized the pinnacle of Greek architectural harmony. Liverani's work reflects the era's Romantic fascination with classical antiquity, a time when Europe's intellectuals and artists idealized ancient Greece as the cradle of Western civilization. As a theatrical backdro...