It would be difficult to name a more romantic vision of an ancient ruin than Tivoli’s Temple of Vesta. The 1st-century B.C. structure stands perched on the edge of a precipice above the cascades of the river Aniene. Its form is that of a Greek tholos—a circular peristyle structure, in this case one with eighteen columns of which ten remain in situ. Each column is twenty-four feet high with the building’s diameter measuring forty-eight feet—a 1-2 ratio. The temple’s distinctive is the Corinthian order. It varies from canonical versions by having its two rows of acanthus leaves closely pressed and heavily detailed. In addition, its abacus is decorated with oversize fleurons in the form of hibiscus flowers with spiral pistils resembling coiled snails. Instead of the more standard curved tops, the column flutes have flat tops. Decorating the entablature frieze are plump fruit swags suspended between intact bucrania or bovine heads. Above each swag is a carved rosette. The cornice is devoid of modillions. The image you see is done by me, on a 1.4 meter height canvas in technique called "Architectural Washing" done with Chinese ink. Specifically this wash was done with the so-called “tear” - this is when there is ink in the water, but it is not visible.