DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.27189#0008
SUECOROMANA STUDIA ARTIS HISTORIAE INSTITUTI ROMANI REGNI SUECIAE III
EditoriaI Committee of thè Swedish Institutes in Rome and Athens: Prof. Robin Hàgg, Goteborg,
Chairman; Prof. Jerker Blomqvist, Lund, Vice-Chairman; Ambassador Ove Heyman, Stockholm,
Treasurer; Dr. Gullòg Nordquist, Uppsala, Secretary; Prof. Birgitta Bergquist, Stockholm; Prof. Pontus
Hellstrdm, Uppsala; Dr. Anne-Marie Leander Touati, Rome; Prof. Sten Ake Nilsson, Lund; Prof. Jan
Òberg, Stockholm; Prof. Èva Rystedt, Lund; Mrs. Birgitta Leppanen Sjòberg, Uppsala; Dr. Berit Wells,
Athens.
Secretary ’s address: Department of Archaeology and Ancient History, S:t Eriks Torg 5, SE-753 10
Uppsala, Sweden. Editor: Dr. Brita Alroth. Distributor: Prof. Paul Astròm Forlag, William Gibsons vag
11, SE-433 76 Jonsered, Sweden.
Translations by Giovanni Insom (Kockel) and Stefania Renzetti (Olausson).
Published with thè aid of a grantfrom
thè Swedish Council far Research in Humanities and Social Sciences
Abstract
Kockel, Valentin, Phelloplastica. Modelli in sughero dell’architettura antica nel XVIII secolo nella collezione di
Gustavo III di Svezia, con un contributo di Magnus Olausson. Suecoromana. Studia Artis Historia Instituti Romani
Regni Sueciae, 3. Stockholm 1998, 95 pp. ISBN 91-7042-155-2.
This volume treats thè art of making cork rnodels of ancient architecture in thè work of Giovanni Altieri, one of thè best-
known modellers of thè 18th century. It was front hint that thè Swedish king Gustavus III bought all his rnodels.
A popular method of reproducing thè ruins of Rome three-dimensionally, and of introducing them into centrai and
northem Europe, was cork rnodels.These may be compared to plaster casts or small-scale copies of ancient sculpture.
Because of its porosity, cork proved optically ideal for thè portrayal of ancient ruins, and it could also be easily trans-
ported, as it was so light. The craftsmanship follows thè tradition of thè Nativity artisans of Naples. Travedere to Italy
valued thè cork rnodels as representations of widely admired Roman architecture and could also transfer to them their
fascination for thè ruins, which were seen as symbols of transience.
Nos. 1-5 of thè catalogue depict buildings from Rome and Tivoli that also constituted thè repertoire of other model-
lers, for instance, Agostino Rosa and Antonio Chichi. One can, however, discover unmistakable artistic characteristics
of Altieri in his interest in landscape-modelling and in his emphasis on picturesque elements. From thè modern view-
point, Altieri’s model of thè tempie of Isis at Pompeii (Cat. no. 6) is of special archaeological interest. Normally draw-
ing and measuring were strictly forbidden in Pompeii, but, owing to Gustavus III’s efforts and prestige. Altieri was able
to draw up a methodical, archaeological documentation only twenty years after thè excavation. The model is a unique
specimen, rich in its treatment of details, even more so as thè originai has becorne a prey to weathering. All thè rnodels
claimed to be exact copies of thè originai buildings, but thè model of thè Tempie of Isis perfects this claim with precise
measurements. It reproduces thè building in a way that can compete with modem architectural recording.
In Sweden, thè cork rnodels acquired by Gustavus III are likely to have played a part as study rnodels and stimuli
when new architectural projects were being launched by architects working directly under thè king. The very emblem
of thè “Paestan” style, which was adopted for several buildings in Stockholm and elsewhere, was present in thè capitai
in thè model of thè tempie of Poseidon at Paestum (Cat. no. 7). Besides, thè function of thè “royal” rnodels, over and
above that of being souvenirs, appears, for instance, in thè doublé scales denoting Italian palmi and Swedish feet that
were inscribed on thè model of thè Vesta tempie at Tivoli (Cat. no. 2).
Key words: Gustavus III collection, Altieri, Rosa, Chichi, cork rnodels, architectural rnodels, Pompeian excavations.
Tempie of Isis, Neoclassical architecture; Grand Tour.
Valentin Kockel, Institut fiir Klassische Archeologie, Universitat Augsburg, DE-86135 Augsburg, Germany.
c zgg°\
© Valentin Kockel and Istituto Svedese di Studi Classici a Roma
ISSN 1102-7940
ISBN 91-7042-155-2
Printed in Sweden by
Almqvist & Wiksell Tryckeri, Uppsala 1998
UNIVERSITÀTS-
BIBLIOTHEK
Heidelberg
EditoriaI Committee of thè Swedish Institutes in Rome and Athens: Prof. Robin Hàgg, Goteborg,
Chairman; Prof. Jerker Blomqvist, Lund, Vice-Chairman; Ambassador Ove Heyman, Stockholm,
Treasurer; Dr. Gullòg Nordquist, Uppsala, Secretary; Prof. Birgitta Bergquist, Stockholm; Prof. Pontus
Hellstrdm, Uppsala; Dr. Anne-Marie Leander Touati, Rome; Prof. Sten Ake Nilsson, Lund; Prof. Jan
Òberg, Stockholm; Prof. Èva Rystedt, Lund; Mrs. Birgitta Leppanen Sjòberg, Uppsala; Dr. Berit Wells,
Athens.
Secretary ’s address: Department of Archaeology and Ancient History, S:t Eriks Torg 5, SE-753 10
Uppsala, Sweden. Editor: Dr. Brita Alroth. Distributor: Prof. Paul Astròm Forlag, William Gibsons vag
11, SE-433 76 Jonsered, Sweden.
Translations by Giovanni Insom (Kockel) and Stefania Renzetti (Olausson).
Published with thè aid of a grantfrom
thè Swedish Council far Research in Humanities and Social Sciences
Abstract
Kockel, Valentin, Phelloplastica. Modelli in sughero dell’architettura antica nel XVIII secolo nella collezione di
Gustavo III di Svezia, con un contributo di Magnus Olausson. Suecoromana. Studia Artis Historia Instituti Romani
Regni Sueciae, 3. Stockholm 1998, 95 pp. ISBN 91-7042-155-2.
This volume treats thè art of making cork rnodels of ancient architecture in thè work of Giovanni Altieri, one of thè best-
known modellers of thè 18th century. It was front hint that thè Swedish king Gustavus III bought all his rnodels.
A popular method of reproducing thè ruins of Rome three-dimensionally, and of introducing them into centrai and
northem Europe, was cork rnodels.These may be compared to plaster casts or small-scale copies of ancient sculpture.
Because of its porosity, cork proved optically ideal for thè portrayal of ancient ruins, and it could also be easily trans-
ported, as it was so light. The craftsmanship follows thè tradition of thè Nativity artisans of Naples. Travedere to Italy
valued thè cork rnodels as representations of widely admired Roman architecture and could also transfer to them their
fascination for thè ruins, which were seen as symbols of transience.
Nos. 1-5 of thè catalogue depict buildings from Rome and Tivoli that also constituted thè repertoire of other model-
lers, for instance, Agostino Rosa and Antonio Chichi. One can, however, discover unmistakable artistic characteristics
of Altieri in his interest in landscape-modelling and in his emphasis on picturesque elements. From thè modern view-
point, Altieri’s model of thè tempie of Isis at Pompeii (Cat. no. 6) is of special archaeological interest. Normally draw-
ing and measuring were strictly forbidden in Pompeii, but, owing to Gustavus III’s efforts and prestige. Altieri was able
to draw up a methodical, archaeological documentation only twenty years after thè excavation. The model is a unique
specimen, rich in its treatment of details, even more so as thè originai has becorne a prey to weathering. All thè rnodels
claimed to be exact copies of thè originai buildings, but thè model of thè Tempie of Isis perfects this claim with precise
measurements. It reproduces thè building in a way that can compete with modem architectural recording.
In Sweden, thè cork rnodels acquired by Gustavus III are likely to have played a part as study rnodels and stimuli
when new architectural projects were being launched by architects working directly under thè king. The very emblem
of thè “Paestan” style, which was adopted for several buildings in Stockholm and elsewhere, was present in thè capitai
in thè model of thè tempie of Poseidon at Paestum (Cat. no. 7). Besides, thè function of thè “royal” rnodels, over and
above that of being souvenirs, appears, for instance, in thè doublé scales denoting Italian palmi and Swedish feet that
were inscribed on thè model of thè Vesta tempie at Tivoli (Cat. no. 2).
Key words: Gustavus III collection, Altieri, Rosa, Chichi, cork rnodels, architectural rnodels, Pompeian excavations.
Tempie of Isis, Neoclassical architecture; Grand Tour.
Valentin Kockel, Institut fiir Klassische Archeologie, Universitat Augsburg, DE-86135 Augsburg, Germany.
c zgg°\
© Valentin Kockel and Istituto Svedese di Studi Classici a Roma
ISSN 1102-7940
ISBN 91-7042-155-2
Printed in Sweden by
Almqvist & Wiksell Tryckeri, Uppsala 1998
UNIVERSITÀTS-
BIBLIOTHEK
Heidelberg