Basilica of Maxentius

Louis-Auguste Bisson’s image focuses on the forceful geometries of three massive barrel vaults—marvels of engineering. The Basilica of Maxentius was the largest building in the Roman Forum and the last basilica built by the Romans, dedicated around 330 CE. The northern aisle is all that remains of this once sprawling complex of bathing facilities and civic meeting halls, with statues of Roman gods throughout. The central nave, or main section, itself was destroyed by a series of earthquakes. The basilica was one of the structures whose form and function inspired American architect Cass Gilbert in his 1903 design for Sculpture Hall of the Saint Louis Art Museum.