The Temple of the Sibyl at Tivoli, Antique Italian View, circa 1850

This is a view of the Temple of the Sibyl at Tivoli, an original antique steel engraving, uncolored, circa 1850. The caption reads SIBYLLEN-TEMPEL, TIVOLI, German for the Temple of the Sibyl, Tivoli.

The round temple with its surviving Corinthian columns and curved entablature stands on the edge of the cliff in the upper part of the upright plate, a square tower behind it at the left against a cloudy sky. White washing hangs over the wall below the temple, and small figures stand on the terrace. The rock falls steeply into the gorge, mountains rise in the mist at the right, and a dead branch lies across the foreground among bushes.

No artist or engraver is named under the image. Below the caption the plate carries a short form of the house imprint, Kunst. Anst. d. B. J. at the lower left and Eig. d. Verleger. at the lower right, for the art works of the Bibliographisches Institut and property of the publishers. A roman plate number is engraved at the top right.

The sheet comes from a dealer's album rather than from a bound set. Its imprint is that of Meyer's Universum, a serial collection of engraved views with descriptive text, published by Joseph Meyer's Bibliographisches Institut at Hildburghausen from 1833, its plates engraved on steel. The round temple on the height of Tivoli, above the falls of the Aniene, dates from the first century BC.

Handling soiling along the left, right and top edges. A few small foxing spots in the margin. Corners and edges are not shown by this scan. Clean, even paper tone in the margin. Several larger brown marks.

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