Skip navigation
View of Forum Romanum, E347

Explanation

  • Three columns are all that is left of the Temple of Vespasian in the Forum in Rome. To the left of the columns, out near the left edge of the picture, we see one short side of the Arch of Septimus Severus. Before the excavation of the Forum commenced at the end of the 18th century, there was earth almost up to the Corinthian capitals that top the 14.2 metre-high columns of the temple. As this print tells us, these columns had been excavated by the time of Antonio Aquaroni. It was at first intended that the temple should be dedicated to the Roman Emperor Titus Flavius Vespasian (AD 9 – 79). However, it was also dedicated to his eldest son Titus (AD 39-81) when he died only two years after his father. In spite of great frugality, Vespasian started one of the most spectacular and monumental buildings in Rome – the Coliseum. Antonio Aquaroni was appointed by the Calcografia Camerale to make entire sequences of views, which were then published. The Calcografia Camerale was established in 1738 for the printing and publication of graphics.

Dimension

  • Height (plate size) 290 mm
  • Height (paper size) 333 mm
  • Width (plate size) 350 mm
  • Width (paper size) 390 mm
  • Inscription / Certification / Label

    Ant. Aquaroni dis. e inc. / Veduta del Foro Romano