Cast of stylized lotus-and-palmette frieze above tulip-and-dart cyma reversa, late 18th century/early 19th century

From: Forum of Trajan, Rome

RA Collection: Art

On free display in The Dorfman Architecture Court

The cast is of a portion of a frieze and the crowning cyma reversa moulding of architrave in a building in the Forum of Trajan (AD 106-113). The building has been identified as the West Library of the Forum which was one of the two libraries on either side of the Column of Trajan.

The frieze shows a stylized variation of the lotus-and-palmette motif in which the lotuses have central daisy flowers and the palmettes alternate between traditional palmettes and leafy plants. The crown moulding of the architrave below is a cyma reversa decorated with a tulip-and-dart pattern.

The original block of marble from the frieze from which this cast was taken, probably in the late 18th century, has not been identified. It is likely that this cast reproduces a block which is no longer accessible or extant.