Views: 12

Aerial view of the grotto in Tiberius’ villa at Sperlonga. The drawing is in landscape format and has no frame. A sketch of the basin and inscriptions appear on the reverse.
A grotto is carved into the rock. In the center of the drawing, in the lower section, is the triclinium. It is surrounded by a colonnade. Several benches are set around a pool, decorated with statues of putti. Around it, rectangular basins drain into a circular pool. Sculpted groups evoke episodes from the Odyssey: in the center is Scylla, and in the background are Ulysses’ companions blinding the Cyclops. On the left, the rock takes the form of a ship’s prow, evoking the ship Argo.