Tempio detto volgarm.te di Giano A. Arco detto degl'Argentieri . . ., 1771
Giovanni Battista Piranesiexpand_more
Etchingexpand_more
Gift of Ruth and Bruce Daytonexpand_more 2007.49.2.1
Not on Viewexpand_more
Janus was the Roman god of gates, beginnings, and transitions. This four-way arch was built to honor him around the year 400 CE. The site may have been selected to commemorate the beginning of Rome, for this is the spot where the she-wolf Lupa rescued the mythical infants Romulus and Remus, the abandoned twins said to have founded the city.
The many niches encircling the exterior would have contained statues of different gods. In this print Piranesi pictured the structure’s upper story, which in his day was still partly intact. It was removed in 1837, under the mistaken belief that it was added much later, during medieval times. In fact, it was part of the original structure.
Details
- Title
- Tempio detto volgarm.te di Giano A. Arco detto degl'Argentieri . . .
- Artist Life
- Italian, 1720–1778
- Role
- Artist
- Accession Number
- 2007.49.2.1
- Provenance
- Private collection, New England Childs Gallery, Boston Private collection, New England Childs Gallery, Boston Private collection, New England Childs Gallery, Boston Private collection, New England Childs Gallery, Boston
- Catalogue Raisonne
- Hind 096 i/iv; Focillon 825, Wilton-Ely 229
- Curator Approved
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