The Temple Of Jupiter Olympius At Agrigentum, Commonly Called The Temple Of The Giants. By C.R. Cockerell, Architect, A.R.A. F.S.A.

05/377

C.R. Cockerell RA

[London:]: Priestley And Weale., MDCCCXXX.

[2], 10 p., frontis., 9 pl.: [2] illus.; 462 mm. (Folio.)

In some copies (incl. that of the Royal Academy) plate 3 is engraved, 'Corrected plate'.

[Frontis., t.p.] - The Temple Of Jupiter Olympius. Introduction - [Description Of Plates ] - [Plates].

All nine numbered plates are signed as drawn by C.R. Cockerell, and as engraved by Jas. Carter, apart from pl. 2, as engraved by Carter and Moses, pl. 7, as engraved by G. Cooke, and pl. 8, as engraved by H. Kersting. The frontispiece is signed as designed by C.R. Cockerell and etched by W.C. Edwards.

Each plate, including the frontispiece, carries the publishers' imprint of Priestley & Weale, High Street, Bloomsbury.

The title-page vignette is signed as drawn by C.R. Cockerell and engraved by Henry Moses. The headpiece of the Introduction is signed as drawn by C.R. Cockerell and engraved by J. Roffe.

The additional double plate found in the Royal Academy's copy is signed as designed and engraved by C.R. Cockerell.

Royal Institute of British Architects, British Architectural Library ... Early printed books, 1 (1994), no. 669, p.376.

P. Broucke, The archaeology of architecture: Charles Robert Cockerell in southern Europe ... [exhibition catalogue] (1993); D.J. Watkin, 'Archaeology and the Greek Revival: a case study of C.R. Cockerell', in Late Georgian classicism, ed. R. White and C. Lightburn (1988), p.58-72. Studies of the Greek Revival include J.M. Crook, The Greek Revival (rev. 1995); D. Constantine, Early Greek travellers and the Hellenic ideal (1984); D. Wiebenson, Sources of Greek Revival architecture (1969).

The publication-date of 1830 is that of Priestley and Weale's Antiquities of Athens and other places in Greece Sicily etc.. This was the only part of that work to be offprinted with its own imprint on its fly-title.

The publication exemplifies Cockerell's absorbing interest in classical archaeology, which was the foundation of his pre-eminence in the Greek Revival in Britain. His careful study of the temple of Olympian Zeus at Acragas in Sicily had been made in 1812, following his work in Greece at Aegina and Bassae the previous year.

The temple at Acragas was constructed ca. 480 B.C. and was the largest ancient temple built using the Doric order.

Most plates are captioned, and show: Frontis. Fragments of the temple of Zeus, including a giant (telamon); 1. 'Plan Of The Temple ...'; 2. 'Restoration Of The Temple ...' (eastern elevation, with part of the Parthenon to the same scale); 3. 'Transverse Section ...'; 4. 'Longitudinal Section' (of the cella); 5. Details of the exterior Doric order; 6. 'Interior Order Of The Cella ...' (pilasters and telamones); 7. 'View Of The Ruins ...'; 8. Various stones employed in the construction; 9. 'Temple Of Hercules At Agrigentum' (plan, elevation, detail of Doric order). The two in-text illustrations are the title-page vignette, showing the reverse and obverse of a silver tetradrachm of Acragas, and the headpiece to the Introduction, showing a plan of the site of the temple &c.

A microfilm version was made by the British Library.

A preliminary leaf is inscribed in ink, 'For the use of the Students in architecture of the Royal Academy - respectfully from the Author.'

Before the frontispiece a double plate has been bound in, showing the Niobe statues arranged as a pedimental group, with an engraved Italian text, carrying the date 1816.

19th-century half mottled calf, purple watered-cloth-covered boards; rebacked in 20th century, spine lettered 'Temple of The Giants At Agrigentum'.

Architecture, Greek - Architecture details - Public buildings - Temples - Ruins - Sculpture - Atlantes - Italy - Sicily - Agrigento - History - 5th century B.C. - Doric
Archaeology - Italy - Sicily - Agrigento - 19th century
Art history - Elevations - Sections - Views - Maps - Plans - Reconstructions - Great Britain - 19th century
Pictorial works - Great Britain - 19th century

John Roffe, engraver
C.R. Cockerell RA, draughtsman, engraver, previous owner, donor
William Camden Edwards, etcher
James Carter, engraver
Henry Moses, engraver
George Cooke, engraver
H. Kersting, engraver
Mrs. Mary Priestley, publisher
John Weale, publisher
Priestley and Weale, publisher