Cast of one quarter of Corinthian capital (no. 8), late 18th century/early 19th century

From: Round Temple near Tiber, Rome

RA Collection: Art

On free display in The Dorfman Architecture Court

This cast is one quarter of a Corinthian capital of the Round Temple near the Tiber in Rome. The Temple has always been standing and was long used as a church. It has twenty tall Corinthian columns around a cella or small inner chamber. Archaeological excavation was first undertaken 1809-1810 by Guiseppe Valadier (1762-1839). Because of its round form, it was mistakenly identified as the Temple of Vesta but is now identified as a Temple to Hercules.

The original temple was constructed in the second century BC and was one of the first in Rome to have been made in marble. It was heavily repaired in the first century AD. The original columns and capitals were made in Pentelic (Greek) marble.

There are three casts in the RA Collection all acquired from the collection of Thomas Lawrence of parts of the Corinthian capitals from the Round Temple in Rome, 11/926, 03/3870 and 12/2289.