{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O955270"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O955270/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2011EP1010/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2011EP1010/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2011EP1010","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O955270/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O955270","accessionNumber":"29635C/135","objectType":"Print","titles":[{"title":"Temple of Venus","type":"Assigned by artist"}],"summaryDescription":"","physicalDescription":"Aquatint depicting the interior of an octagonal Temple of Venus, featuring semi-circular niches and a dome formed by an umbrella vault. Within the temple, three figures come into view: a man and a woman embracing an infant, nestled amidst the ruins, where nature has flourished and grown inside.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"James Merigot","id":"A26839"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"AAT251917"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"ink","id":"AAT15012"},{"text":"paper","id":"AAT14109"}],"techniques":[{"text":"aquatint","id":"AAT53242"},{"text":"hand-colouring","id":"AAT133555"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"","categories":[{"text":"Prints","id":"THES48903"},{"text":"Topography","id":"THES252988"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"PDP","id":"THES48595"},"images":["2011EP1010"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"LVLE","id":"THES49657"},"free":"","case":"Z","shelf":"12","box":"B"}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"prints","id":"AAT41273"}],[{"text":"drawings","id":"AAT33973"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Britain","id":"x32019"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"19th century","earliest":"1800-01-01","latest":"1899-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"23.2","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":"with mount"},{"dimension":"Width","value":"29.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":"with mount"},{"dimension":"Height","value":"14.9","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"width","value":"22.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Aquatint depicting the interior of the Temple of Venus, located in the Horti Sallustiani, near the no-longer existing Porta Salara, after a design by James Merigot (1760 - 1824), based in 28 Haymarket and published in London on the 1st of February 1798 by Richard Edwards at 142 New Bond Street.","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"The temple is allegedly the Temple of Venus located in the complex of the Horti Sallustiani, not far from the former Porta Salaria. The temple of Venus Erycina was built around 184 and 181 BC, after the conquest of Erice where there was a cult for a local venus. Later it was incorporated in the Horti Sallustiani that Romans used to refer it as “Temple of Venus Hortiorum Sallustiorum. From the 6th century the area was abandoned and covered in olive trees and vineyards. The same architecture, with similar dome with an umbrella vault and niches is depicted in a print by Piranesi from Varie Vedute di Roma Antica e Moderna. \n\n\nJames Merigot (1760 - 1824) was a French engraver and publisher who worked predominantly in London with an emphasis on romantic landscapes and ancient ruins that celebrated the classical world. Born in France as Jacques Merigot from a Parisian publisher Jacques-François Mérigot (1720-1799), he followed his father’s footsteps and began publishing his works from 1790. For unknown reasons, he moved to Britain, where he established collaborations, initially with Richard Edwards and then with the watercolourist John Warwick Smith (1749 – 1831). Merigot continued to translate the works of other artists, including John Stoddart (1773-1856), Claude John Nattes (c.1765-1839), and Hugh William Williams (1773-1829), indicating that his skill had been noted and that there was a growing demand for his expertise. In addition, Merigot also devoted considerable time to producing his own prints, based on his original drawings and paintings. By 1798, he is documented as publishing his own views of European landmarks, including Rome, and, in 1801, those of his travels to Scandinavia.\n\nRichard Edwards (1768 - 1827) was a publisher and printer, member of the renowned book-binding, book-selling and publishing family of Edwards based in both Halifax and London, whose business flourished from 1749 to 1826. By 1791, he was the first member of the family to establish a book shop in 142 New Bond Street in London, even though he retired from business for unknown circumstances to become a civil servant through Earl Spencer’s office in 1798, just when his most important books had become to be published. One of his notable contributions was commissioning William Blake to create 547 folio illustrations for Edward Young's Night Thoughts in 1794. In 1798, he published the first section of the text with 43 engravings by Blake, which hugely influenced Blake’s career, offering him a real possibility of fame and fortune. Edwards also published the series Views and Ruins in Rome and its Vicinity Recently Executed from Drawings Made Upon the Spot (1796 - 1798) by James Merigot alongside Young's work between 1797 and 1798.\n\nBibliographic reference\n- Bentley, G. E. “Richard Edwards, Publisher of Church-and-King Pamphlets and of William Blake.” Studies in Bibliography 41 (1988): 283–315.\n- Merigot, James. A Select Collection of Views and Ruins in Rome and Its Vicinity Recently Executed from Drawings Made Upon the Spot. London: Sold by Messrs. Robinsons, Paternoster Row, 1820."}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["29635C/135"],"accessionNumberNum":"29635","accessionNumberPrefix":"","accessionYear":null,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2026-03-02","recordCreationDate":"2009-06-30","availableToBook":false}}