Northwest Facade, Temple of Castor and Pollux, Rome (12. Rome. 1842. Graecostasis. faç. N.O.)

Joseph-Philibert Girault de Prangey

1842 · Daguerreotype · Photographs

Girault’s unusual format captures the height of a triad of columns from the once-massive Temple of Castor and Pollux, built in the first century B.C. A seated figure in the foreground provides a sense of scale. Though somewhat uncommon in Girault’s photographs, that inclusion echoes the popular picturesque tradition of incorporating aspects of local color to enliven views. Girault dated and identified the majority of his daguerreotypes, which he also numbered sequentially according to format. The inscribed label on the back of this view refers to the temple as the Graecostasis, as it was often incorrectly called at the time.

Artist

Joseph-Philibert Girault de Prangey

Date

1842

Medium

Daguerreotype

Department

Photographs

Credit line

Purchase, Mr. and Mrs. John A. Moran Gift, in memory of Louise Chisholm Moran, Joyce F. Menschel Gift, Joseph Pulitzer Bequest, 2016 Benefit Fund, and Gift of Dr. Mortimer D. Sackler, Theresa Sackler and Family, 2016 (2016.606)