Temple of Olympian Jupiter, Altars and the Delphic Tripod, Lithograph, 1842

This is an original antique lithograph, partially hand colored from the Galleria Universale di Tutti i Popoli del Mondo (Venice, Giuseppe Antonelli, 1842); color is laid on the upper view only. The upper image shows a long colonnaded temple in three quarter view on a stepped base, with a sculptured pediment, urn shaped ornaments at the corners and a winged figure standing on the peak, set on open ground under a sky tinted pink, with a wall in the distance at the right. The lower image, printed in black and gray, shows three objects on a stepped plinth: at the left a stand whose three legs end in lion's feet and rise into winged sphinx figures supporting a round top; in the center a square altar with a garland on its face and flames rising from the top; and at the right a tall three legged stand with ring handles, crossed rods and a band of ornament.

The top margin is lettered "Tav 142" at the left, "GRECIA" in the center and "Tom IV" at the right. The caption under the upper image reads "Tempio di Giove Olimpico" (temple of Olympian Jupiter) and the caption under the lower image reads "Are e Tripode Delfico" (altars and Delphic tripod).

Jupiter is the Roman name for Zeus, so the caption names a temple of Olympian Zeus. At Delphi the priestess of Apollo, the Pythia, delivered the oracle seated on a tripod, and the tripod became a familiar emblem of the sanctuary.

This is an original antique print, not a modern reproduction. This item is sold unframed.