The Ruins of Three Templates at Paestum in Southern Italy, late 19th century watercolor, signed lower left "G. Oponti / Pompeii / 1883". Paestum was located on the Tyrrhenian Sea in Magna Gracia, present day southern Italy. Originally called Poseidonia by the Greeks, the colony flourished in the 6th century BC due to its strategic position on trade routes with Etruscan cities to the north, as well as its geographic location in the fertile plains. By the third century Rome had taken possession of the area and renamed the city Paestum.The city was laid out with two sacred areas to the north and south, separate from the spaces containing public buildings and houses. Poseidonia/Paestum also contains three of the most well-preserved ancient Greek temples in the world, illustrated here in the picture labeled “Veduta del Tre Tempio Di Pesto.” In the southern zone, and represented in the foreground, is the second Temple of Hera dating to 460-450 BC. The first Temple of Hera was erected in this area circa 550 BC, and is the largest, pedimented temple at the center. As the chief goddess of Olympus, Hera was the sister and wife of Zeus, and was worshiped as the protector of women, particularly relating to marriage and childbirth. The third temple, in the northern part of the complex, was built circa 500 BC and was dedicated to Athena, goddess of wisdom and warfare, and is depicted in the background. This temple is notable for being the first Greek temple known to incorporate both Doric and Ionic elements. [Art: 16 3/4" H x 33 3/4" W; Frame: 18 3/4" H x 35 3/4" W]. In good condition.

In good condition.