Fine Furniture & Collections - 8th October 2026
Lot 467
AN ITALIAN GIALLO ANTICO GRAND TOUR MODEL OF THE TEMPLE OF CASTOR AND POLLUX
Estimate £2,000 - £3,000
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Description
AN ITALIAN GIALLO ANTICO GRAND TOUR MODEL OF THE TEMPLE OF CASTOR AND POLLUX
AFTER THE ANTIQUE, ROME, MID-19TH CENTURY
raised on a black marble plinth
42.2cm high
Catalogue Note
This model is one of the most celebrated ancient monuments in the Roman Forum: the Temple of Castor and Pollux. By the eighteenth century, these ruins had become essential sights for travellers undertaking the Grand Tour, admired as evocative remnants of Rome's Imperial past. The three surviving Corinthian columns of the temple formed a dramatic landmark that attracted artists, antiquarians, and collectors alike.
The Temple of Castor and Pollux, originally dedicated in 484 BCE, commemorated the legendary twin sons of Jupiter and played an important role in Roman political and civic life. Images of these ruins were widely circulated through paintings, prints, and souvenirs purchased by Grand Tour travellers. Such representations combined archaeological interest with picturesque appeal, reflecting contemporary fascination with the classical world and the enduring legacy of ancient Rome.
For an almost identical column sold in these rooms see Fine Furniture & Collections, 1st July 2026, lot 716.