Tour des Vents 1846

This 1846 original lithographic engraving after Théodore Du Moncel depicts the celebrated Tower of the Winds (Tour des Vents) in Athens, and forms part of the richly illustrated publication Athènes monumentale et pittoresque. Published in London by E. Gambart, Junin & Cie, the series reflects the nineteenth century’s fascination with classical antiquity and the growing European interest in archaeological travel imagery.

The engraving presents the ancient octagonal marble structure — originally built in the 1st century BCE as a horologion or civic timepiece — with careful architectural attention. The sculpted reliefs representing the eight winds are subtly suggested, while the surrounding setting incorporates elements of nineteenth-century Athens, blending antiquity with contemporary life. Figures in the foreground, rendered by A. Bayot, add scale and a human dimension to the historic monument.

Du Moncel’s lithographic interpretation combines documentary precision with Romantic sensibility, characteristic of mid-nineteenth-century illustrated travel works. Before photography became widespread, such engravings played a crucial role in disseminating visual knowledge of classical sites to collectors, scholars, and the general public.

Today, this print is appreciated both as an artistic work and as a historical document. It captures not only one of Athens’ most distinctive ancient monuments but also the period’s evolving perception of Greece as a landscape of cultural memory, archaeological discovery, and enduring artistic inspiration.

Engraving

Architecture - Greece

Monumental and Picturesque Athens Lithograph by Th. Du Moncel Illustration by A. Bayot - London published by E. Gambart Junin & Cie - Victor Delarue & Cie

Printed by Auguste Bry in Paris

Good condition, slight soiling