Charles-Louis Clérisseau

Charles-Louis Clérisseau (1721 – 1820) was a French architect, draughtsman, antiquary and artist who became a leading authority on ancient Roman architecture and Roman ruins in Italy and France. He was consulted on the classical style by people like Catherine the Great and Thomas Jefferson. These paintings were mostly done in the 1760s and 1770s. Above, Temple of the Sybil in Tivoli.

Interior of Emperor Diocletian’s Palace in Split

Temple of Bacchus at Split

Arch of the Money Changers, Rome

Inhabited Ruins by Charles-Louis Clérisseau

Interior of St Stefano Rotondo Church in Rome

Grotto of the Nymph Egeria

Hadrian's Villa near Tivoli

Having painted just about all the actual ruins he could find, Clérisseau branched out and began creating imaginary ruins like the ones above and below.