The Erechtheum, seen from the southwest - Illustration from Edward Dodwell's Views of Greece

The Erechtheum, seen from the southwest is an illustration from the collection Views in Greece from Drawings published by Edward Dodwell in 1821.

Seen from the southwest, the Erechtheum reveals its slender columns and famous caryatids. This unique temple, with its asymmetries and refined details, embodies the ingenuity and diversity of Greek architecture, paying homage to Athena and the founding myths of the city.

The literal transcription of the notice accompanying this plate is reproduced below:

The Erechtheum was composed of the ruined temples of Neptune Erechtheus, Minerva Poliades, and Pandrose, daughter of Cecrops. The ruins of this elegant and singular edifice are situated on the Athenian acropolis, at a distance of about one hundred and fifty-six feet north of the Parthenon. The Athenians united under the same roof the temples of Neptune and Minerva in order to commemorate the reconciliation of their favorite divinities. We read in Plutarch that a common altar was erected in their honor, which received the name of the Altar of Forgetfulness.

The west facade of the Erechtheion, which is represented in this view, is pseudo-peristyle, its entablature being supported by round pilasters attached to the wall which forms the enclosure of the cella. The transepts which are seen between the pilasters were probably lined with those transparent marbles which the Greeks called phengites, and the Romans mica.

The other part of the building included in this view is the northern tetrastyle portico, which is now closed by a modern wall and contains the gunpowder and munitions of war for the use of the garrison. The ceiling of this portico is formed of marble slabs twenty-two feet long, adorned with sculptures of fine workmanship.

The Pandroseum, which is attached to the southwest end of the Erechtheum, is so well known, and Stuart has given such a detailed description of it, that it will suffice to offer a few general remarks here. The columnar figures which support the entablature of this small but elegant edifice are supposed to represent the slavery of those women of Caria whose story is recorded by Vitruvius. Originally there were six of them. It is not known at what period the first was removed; the second was carried off in 1801 and is now in the British Museum, where it is seen with much less interest and makes much less impression than in its former position. The sculpture is in a severe and chaste taste, such as became the place it occupied.

The ceiling of the caryatid portico is formed of large square marble blocks, divided into compartments decorated with rich sculpture.

Pausanias mentions the temple of Pandrosius in a manner as superficial as the other buildings of the acropolis, and confines himself to informing us that it is contiguous to the temple of Minerva Poliades.

The figures represent the band of Turkish musicians, who play every evening at three o'clock in the Acropolis. The mountain seen in the distance is Parnes.