Uggeri, Attr. To, Underground Hall Of The Temple Of The Circus, Also Called Praetorian Hall

ANGELO UGGERI, attrib. to
UNDERGROUND HALL OF THE TEMPLE OF THE CIRCUS, ALSO KNOWN AS THE PRAETORIAN ROOM

ANGELO UGGERI
Gera, 1754 – 1837, Roma

Pen and brush in sepia on paper
17.5 × 24.5 cm / 6.9 × 9.6 in
Sheet with mount: 23.5 × 30 cm / 9.3 × 11.8 in
Inscribed lower centre: Souterrain du Temple Circense, dit la Salle Pretoriane

Two pen-and-ink drawings in sepia were recently discovered among a group of old papers. Both sheets have been carefully mounted on later paper supports, likely in the 20th century. Despite minor edge losses, they retain significant iconographic and historical value. The first of the two was precisely identified with the help of my friend Marc O. Manser: the scene depicts the interior of the Mausoleum of Romulus, son of Emperor Maxentius, located along the Appian Way in Rome.

This monumental structure formed part of a vast imperial complex that also included a circus (the Circus of Maxentius) and a palace. The mausoleum itself, built around 312 CE, consists of a circular rotunda with a central octagonal pillar, surrounded by a wide vaulted corridor where sarcophagi were placed in antiquity. The drawing captures this very space — with its massive arches and imposing vaults — and conveys the romantic spirit of early archaeological exploration.

The drawing is dated to around 1790, a period when the ruins of ancient Rome served as a rich source of inspiration for travelers, architects, and artists of the late Enlightenment and early Romantic era. These works reflect a new and poetic reimagining of Roman heritage, opening a distinct chapter in the history of the Grand Tour — a journey in which antiquity became not only a subject of study, but a deeply personal experience.

The style and subject of the drawings suggest an attribution to Angelo Uggeri, an architect and draftsman who dedicated his life to documenting the architectural legacy of Rome and its surroundings. His celebrated series Voyage pittoresque and Exploration pittoresque include numerous views of Roman monuments, including subterranean structures such as the one shown here.