Columns of the Temple of Neptune at Paestum

Art Historical Context

In 1838, Danish artist Constantin Hansen captured the timeless majesty of ancient architecture in *Columns of the Temple of at Paestum*, a compact oil on canvas measuring just 12⅝ × 10 inches. Hansen, a key figure in Denmark's Golden Age of painting, was deeply inspired by classical antiquity during his travels in Italy. This intimate study depicts the sturdy Doric columns of Paestum's Temple of Neptune (also known as Poseidon), one of three remarkably preserved Greek temples from the 5th century BCE in southern Italy, evoking the enduring power of Magna Graecia—the Greek colonies in the regio...