Temple de Pallas

Black pencil drawing, mm 436x282, lower left handwritten note: Temple de Pallas.

Belongs to a collection of 127 works unearthed from a French antiquarian who, in turn, had acquired them from the heirs of publisher Henri-Désiré Charpentier (La Rochelle 1805 - Vertou 1882); they are all done in black pencil, some have white lead highlighting; they never bear the date and signature of the author, but only a brief caption relating to the subjects depicted. The drawings denote a skilled and expert hand - especially in the delineation of buildings, ruins and architecture - that restores the monuments of Rome from interesting and unusual perspective points. The reference of most of the drawings to some of the tinted lithographs by Felix and Philippe Benoist, published in the three-volume work Rome dans sa grandeur, immediately became clear. The fact that this is a large group of original drawings related to the famous work edited by Henri-Désiré Charpentier is clearly supported by the prestigious provenance; it is a part of Charpentier's heir fund, among which the material of the famous chalcographic workshop had been divided.

Rome dans sa grandeur. Vues, monument ancient et modernes was printed in Paris in 3 volumes, in 1870. The publication, illustrated by 100 lithographs, was preceded by a campaign of preparatory drawings, dating from 1864 until 1869, executed mainly by Félix Benoist and partly by Philippe Benoist. On the eve of the Concilio Ecumenico Vaticano I, on August 11, 1869, Pius IX decreed the creation of a Roman Exhibition of the works of every art executed for Catholic worship, which was inaugurated, on February 17, 1870, in the cloister of the Carthusian monastery of Santa Maria degli Angeli. On that occasion, the three folio volumes Rome dans sa grandeur were presented. The lavishly bound volumes, with the coat of arms of Pius IX stamped in the center in gold, are divided into three sections. The first volume deals with ancient Rome, the second, with Christian Rome, and the third, with the monuments and achievements of modern Rome. A valuable view of papal Rome on the eve of Rome's profound transformation into the capital of united Italy. A document that highlights the remarkable imprint left by Pius IX on the Eternal City. The work represents the French artist's masterpiece, so much so that it places Benoist among the ranks of the greatest artists of interiors and views of his time.

The sheets used for the preliminary studies vary in size (from 170 mm x 240 to 490 x 300 mm), weight and even color gradation (from beige to green).  Many of the drawings undeniably represent different preparatory stages - more or less complete - of some of the dyed lithographs illustrating the magnificent work, others of the silographic vignettes included in the text, while other sketches do not find translation in print. Belonging to this second group are both sketches relating to monuments and views of Rome and its surroundings: ancient Ostia, Grottaferrata, Olevano Romano, Anzio, Nettuno, Velletri and Vicovaro. Far beyond from Rome are drawings relating to Naples and Loreto. The suite was to form part of the entire fund, later dispersed, of preparatory studies from which the hundred intended for lithographic printing were selected.

In addition to the historical-archaeological notations, is quoted an episode from the Life of Alexander Severus, in the the Historia Augusta, attributed to the writer Aelius Lampridius. After learning that Petronius Turinus was taking money in exchange for false favours that he boasted to have obtained because of his high regard with the emperor, Alexander Severus decided to publicly punish him, condemning him to die choking on smoke according to the principle: Fumo punitur qui vendidit fumum, i.e. he who sold smoke is punished with smoke.

“Le Forum de Nerva fut d'abord connu sous le nom de Domitien qui l'avait commencé. On le nomrnait aussi Forum Palladium, du tempie dc Pallas qui en occupait le centre, et Forum transitorium, parce qu'il était long, étroit et servait de passage. Nous savons par Lampride qu' Alexandre Sévère y plaça les statues colossales, tant équestres que pédestres et nues, des divins empereurs, avec des colonnes d'airain portant des inscriptions qui consacraient leur souvenir. On voit encore, au lieu dit des Colonnacce, une partie du mur d'enceinte du Forum de Nerva et deux colonnes à demi enterrées, supportant une frise ornée de figures relatives au culte de Pallas. Comment ne pas se rappeler, en considérant ces débris, la scène dont ils furent témoins sous le règne d'Alexandre Sévère? Alexandre ayant appris qu'un nommé Petronius Turinus se faisait payer, de tous ceux qui obtenaient des places, le crédit qu'il prétendait avoir sur l'empereur, ordonna de l'attacher à un poteau dans le Forum transitorium. Le feu fut ensuite mis à un monceau de bois et de paille humide qui avait été piacé sous le patient, et Petronius mourut étouffé, tandis que le crieur disait: “On punit par la fumée celui qui a vendu de la fumée” (Rome dans sa grandeur – Rome Antique, cap. I, p. 16).