Temple of Mars Ultor, Rome

James Holland

1840–45 · Watercolor over graphite · Drawings and Prints

Holland first visited Italy in 1835 and would thereafter return often. He here responds to the ruined Temple of Mars Ultor (Mars the Avenger), which stands in a corner of the Forum of Augustus. Three Corinthian columns, at left, survive from a temple colonnade erected by the emperor Augustus. A sunken arch at center, built by the emperor Tiberius in 19 ce was known locally as the Arco dei Panani (Italian for "fen," a water-covered lowland), referring to the swampy site. The artist shows it spanning the Via di Tor de’ Conti with oxcart in the foreground to demonstrate that life continues among the ruins. The restrained tonality of Holland’s washes indicates a date before 1845.

Artist

James Holland

Date

1840–45

Medium

Watercolor over graphite

Department

Drawings and Prints

Credit line

Gift of James David Draper, from the Robert Isaacson Collection, 2014