Image Details

Courtesy of the Library of Congress

Ancient worshipers entered the Temple of Bacchus through a lavishly ornamented, 43-foot-high stone doorway, shown here in a painting by David Roberts. Upon first seeing the portal, in the spring of 1839, Roberts became fascinated with its colossal proportions and intricately designed friezes. He spent several days sketching the structure and eventually returned to England, where he produced this picture—which was an instant critical success and helped secure his election to the Royal Academy of Art. The lintel above the doorway was damaged, and repaired, after a severe earthquake in 1759; however, the keystone remains suspended as David Roberts depicts.