Large Grand Tour Sienna Marble Temple of Vespasian 19th C

A finely carved example of a mid 19th Century Sienna marble Grand Tour architectural representation of the ruins of the Temple of Vespasian and Titus located in the Forum in Rome. Designed in the Corinthian style the temple was begun by Titus in AD79 after the death of his father, Vespasian and completed under Emperor Domitian, circa AD87.

 In the 19th Century the ruins of the temple were fully excavated and models such as this one were made in marble in the Vatican workshops in Rome. Because the Siena marble quarry ran out, and so subsequent models were made in alabaster, this example is pre 1860. Carved marble with pictorial detail to the side and rarely seen under carving between the columns. Partial inscription ''ESTITVER'' to the front. Many of these models feature the partially engraved Latin letters "ESTITVER", which is a truncated reference to "RESTITUER" from the original 3rd-century restoration text by Emperors Septimius Severus and Caracalla.

Presented on a Belgian black marble base with a canted corner.