Peintures De Polygnote A Delphes Dessinées Et Gravées D'Après la Description De Pausanias Par F. & I. Riepenhausen

RA Collection: Book

Record number

05/4769

Imprint

Rome: MDCCCXXIX

Physical Description

2 pts. in one; 507 mm.

General Note

Pt.I: [2] fold. f., t.pl. (dble.), pl. II-XX (all dble.). - Pt.2: [1] fold. f., t.pl. (dble.), pl. II-XVIII (all dble.).

Contents

Pt.I: [T.pl.] - Avant Propos - Description Du Table De Polygnote Représentant La Descente D'Ulysse Aux Enfers; [imprimatur]; [colophon] - [Plates]. - Pt.II: [T.pl.] - Description Du Tableau De Polygnote Réprésentant La Prise De La Ville De Troie Et Le Départ Des Grecs - [Plates].

Responsibility Note

The plates are unsigned.

The printers' name is given in the colophon: 'Imprime A Rome Par Phil. Et Nicol. De Romanis Avec Approbation En 1827'.

References

On the Riepenhausen brothers see H. Börsch-Supan, 'Zwei Raffaele aus Göttingen: die Brüder Riepenhausen', in Romantik und Renaissance, ed. S. Vietta (1994); I Nazareni a Roma, ed. K. Gallwitz [exhibition catalogue] (1981).

Summary Note

The publication-date of 1829 is given on the title-plate; the colophon carries the date of 1827.

The Riepenhausens' outline drawings are an imaginative reconstruction of fifth-century paintings made by Polygnotus for the Cnidians' Lesche or 'club-house' at Delphi. These showed Odysseus's visit to the underworld (the 'Necyia'), described in Homer's Odyssey, and the capture of Troy ('Iliou Persis'). The reconstruction is based on the second-century description of the paintings given by Pausanias in his Description of Greece (Bk. 10, chapters 25-31).

Provenance

Purchased in 1868 (see 'Report on the Library', RA Annual Report for 1868, Appendix No. 6, p. 31).

Binding Note

19th-century half white vellum, marbled-papered boards; gilt-decorated spine, black morocco spine-label lettered 'Peintures De Polygnote'.

Name as Subject

Subject

Mythology, Greek - Heroes - Trojan War - Troy (Extinct city)
Paintings, Greek - Greece - Delphi - History - 5th century B.C.
Drawings - Italy - 19th century
Art history - Italy - 19th century
Pictorial works - Italy - 19th century

Contributors

Franz Riepenhausen, draughtsman, engraver
Johannes Riepenhausen, draughtsman, engraver
Filippo De Romanis, printer
Nicola De Romanis, printer