The European vision of Greece in the 18th century creates an imaginary realm; the clearest expression of this outlook are the sixty plates by Jean David Le Roy (1758), the French architect and professor of the Academy of Architecture during forty years, a work created in competition to James Stuart and Nicholas Revett’s work. For Le Roy, everything is permitted in representation, as the subject is more important than the picture and emotion superior to depiction, in accordance with the aesthetic principles of the time.

The adaptation of Le Roy’s work into English by R. Sayer retains little from the former’s text, but enriches the edition with a historical note on modern and ancient Athens, explanatory texts for each plate and excerpts from G. Wheler’s work. In Sayger’s copper engravings the monuments represented are mingled with each other in a fashion even more striking than in Le Roy’s plates, thereby composing imaginary landscapes. Images are documented by extracts from ancient literature. This unusual and rare edition was later reprinted with coloured engravings.

Written by Ioli Vingopoulou

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  Composition: The Temple of Poseidon in Sounio together with the Monument of Philopappus in Athens.

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  Roman inscription at the Propylaea of the Acropolis of Athens, in between the Beule Gate and the Temple of Athena Nike. The inscription refers to Flavius Septimius Marcellinus, with the sponsorship of whom the Propylaea of the Acropolis were restored (280 C.E.)

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  Marble stele on which a law of Emperor Hadrian is preserved. The author argues that he found this inscription next to the Temple of Rome and Augustus on the Acropolis. He also claims, however, that this inscription was initially found at the Prytaneum.

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  Composition: The bridge of Ilissus and the Panathenaic Stadium in Athens. The Temple of Rome and Augustus in Pula, Croatia.

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  Composition: The Monument of Philopappus. Scene of excavations at Thoricos, ancient settlement near Lavrio.

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  Composition: The Choregic monument of Thrasyllus (Panagia Spiliotissa) together with the Propylaea of the Acropolis of Athens.

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  1, 2: Plan of the Temple of Olympian Zeus in Athens, together with drawings of its capitals, columns and base of the column. 3, 4: Capital, column and base of the column from Delos.

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  Ancient inscription from the Temple of Hephaestus (Theseion) in Athens.

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  Votive inscriptions from the Stoa of Attalos in Athens. These inscriptions, as well as many other parts of the Stoa, were used in the reconstruction of the Propylaea of the Acropolis of Athens and the walls surrounding the rock.

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  Ancient Greek inscriptions. These inscriptions were discussed for the first time in the travel account of G. Wheler (1682) and then in the work of I. Mersius "Opera Omnia" in 1741.

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  Composition: The Temple of Olympian Zeus in Athens. On the left a Muslim cemetery and a mosque. In the background the Acropolis of Athens, the Parthenon and Hadrian's Arch.

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  View and plan of the Choregic monument of Lysicrates, together with architectural drawings of some of the elements of the monument.

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  1, 4, 5: Drawings of architectural elements of Hadrian's Library in Athens. 2, 3: Plan of the Temple of Olympian Zeus in Athens, and plan of its court.

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  Drawings of several architectural and decorative elements from the Temple of Hephaestus (Theseion) in Athens.

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  Plan of the Parthenon together with drawings of some its architectural elements.

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  Drawings of architectural elements from the Temple of Rome and Augustus in Pula, Croatia.

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  View of Erechtheion. Drawings of some architectural and decorative elements of the monument.

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  Plan of Erechtheion. Drawings of some architectural and decorative elements of the monument.

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  View of the Horologion of Andronikos Kyrristos (Tower of the Winds) in Athens. Drawings of some of the architectural and decorative elements of the monument.

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  1. Plan of the Temple of Apollo in Αncient Corinth. 2. Plan of the peristyle of unidentified building. 3 and Α. View of column and drawing of capital of the Temple of Apollo in Αncient Corinth. 4. and Β. View of column of Doric order and drawing of capital. 5. and C. View of column of Doric order from the Temple of Apollo in Delos, and drawing of a capital of the same monument.

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  Title page.

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  Votive inscription from the Theater of Dionysus in Athens.

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  Ancient Greek inscriptions. These inscription were discussed for the first time in the travel account of G. Wheler (1682) and then in the work of I. Mersius "Opera Omnia" in 1741.

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  Ancient Greek inscriptions. These inscription were discussed for the first time in the travel account of G. Wheler (1682) and then in the work of I. Mersius "Opera Omnia" in 1741.

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  Inscription from the Choregic monument of Thrasyllus (Panagia Spiliotissa).

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  Composition: The Odeon of Herodes Atticus together with the Temple of Hephaestus (Theseion) in Athens.

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  Composition: The porch of Hadrian's aqueduct (Dexameni) together with the Parthenon. In the background the columns of the Temple of Olympian Zeus in Athens.

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  Composition: Choregic monument of Lysicrates in Athens together with the port of Faliro, close to Piraeus.

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  Hadrian's Library in Athens.

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  Composition: The Erechtheion together with the Gate of Athena Archegetis (mod. Pazaroporta).

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  Composition: The Horologion of Andronikos Kyrristos (Tower of the Winds) together with the Temple of Apollo in Ancient Corinth.

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  Composition: Hadrian's Arch together with the area where the Odeon of Pericles, stood. In the background the Temple of Olympian Zeus in Athens.

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  Drawings of several architectural and decorative elements of the Parthenon.

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  1, 2, 3: View of Hadrian's Arch and drawings of some of its architectural and decorative elements. 4, D, E: View of the Gate of Athena Archegetis (mod. Pazaroporta) in Athens. Architectural and decorative elements of the monument.

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  Drawings of some architectural and decorative elements of Erechtheion.

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  The Propylaea of Acropolis of Athens: 1. Plan. 2. Section of the Propylaea eastwards and imaginary representation of the monument of Agrippa.

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  Frontispiece: Imaginary representation of the Propylaea of the Acropolis of Athens, together with a topographical map of the Acropolis of Athens and plans of its monuments.