Louis François Cassas (1756–1827), The portal of the cella of the Temple of Bacchus, 1793
private collection
In contrast to the watercolour, in his etching The portal of the cella of the Temple of Bacchus Cassas opted for a closer perspective and dispensed entirely with the integration of landscape. The ancient ruin stands isolated in the foreground. Yet the drama of the damaged architrave is not entirely absent. In fact, Cassas highlights its precarious balance even further through the close view of the monument.
Louis François Cassas (1756–1827), The portal of the cella of the Temple of Bacchus, pen and ink/watercolour, 1793; source: Annie Gilet (ed.): Louis-François Cassas 1756–1827: Dessinateur-Voyageur: Im Banne der Sphinx: Ein französischer Zeichner reist nach Italien und in den Orient, 22 April–19 June 1994, Wallraf-Richartz-Museum, Graphische Sammlung Köln, Mainz u.a. 1994., fig. 90.