Images of vanished Rome once more

Ste. Trombetti has turned his attention to the Dutch Rijksmuseum in his search for old etchings and drawings of Rome.  The search for this museum is here.

The first image is of the vanished Septizonium, from 1550, a drawing by Hieronymus Cock (Antwerpen c. 1518-1570).  The majority of the image consists of some unfamiliar-looking ruins on the Palatine hill – are these really in the right place? -, but the Septizonium is on the left, although masked by yet another unfamiliar ruin.  The image is online here:

Septizonium, 1550, by Hieronymus Cock. Via Rijksmuseum
Septizonium, 1550, by Hieronymus Cock. Via Rijksmuseum

Another image from 1551, by the same gentleman, is at the same site.  But this makes me deeply wary.  For although it is definitely the Septizonium, end-on, to the left, the stuff to the right must be the Colosseum, and it certainly isn’t that far forward!  These are not photographs, and it bears remembering.  Anyway the image is online here:

Septizonium: Septizonii Severi Imp. cum continguis ruinis. Hieronymus Cock, 1551.  Via Rijksmuseum
Septizonium: Septizonii Severi Imp. cum continguis ruinis. Hieronymus Cock, 1551. Via Rijksmuseum

At the Biblioteca Digital Hispania, search page here, we find a rather more convincing drawing of the ruins on the Palatine hill, with the edge of the Septizonium at right: “Palatini monti prospectus” (1560-1612?) by Hendrick van Cleve (d.1595) & Philippe Galle (d.1612)”.  It’s here:

Ruinarum varii prospectus ruriumq. aliquot delineationes. By P. Galle and Hendrick van Cleve. 156-1612? Via BNE.
Ruinarum varii prospectus ruriumq. aliquot delineationes. By P. Galle and Hendrick van Cleve. 156-1612? Via BNE.

Meanwhile back at the Rijksmuseum, Dr Trombetti has unearthed another photograph of the Meta Sudans, the ruined Roman fountain next to the Colosseum that was demolished by Mussolini.  It’s here:

1860-80, attributed to Giorgio Sommer.
1860-80, attributed to Giorgio Sommer.

But while searching for the item at the Rijksmuseum, I stumbled across this 1666 prospectus of the Colosseum, the Arch of Constantine, and … the Meta Sudans, twice the height of the photo and complete with a bulbous top.  It comes from here:

Lievin Cruyl, 1666.  Via Rikjsmuseum
Lievin Cruyl, 1666. Via Rikjsmuseum

If I extract the detail, it can be seen clearly:

Meta Sudans, 1666.
Meta Sudans, 1666.

A google image search for “View of the Colosseum and The Arch of Constantine – Antonio Joli” brings up a great number of paintings and other artworks, many featuring the Meta Sudans.  Let’s end with a Canaletto, no less, from here:

Canaletto - Colosseum and Arch of Constantine, Rome. 18th c.
Canaletto – Colosseum and Arch of Constantine, Rome. 18th c.
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