Images & Art

IMPLUVIUM

House of the Silver Wedding Pompeii End of 2nd century B.C. The impluvium or shallow pool which caught the rain falling through the compluvium. The walls were altered and redecorated in a later period....

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VILLA OF THE MYSTERIES

Pompeii c. 200 B.C. The Villa of the Mysteries was a suburban house on the edge of Pompeii. Originally a simple farm building, around 200 B.C. it began to develop into a fifty-five room elegant patrician villa. This is a restored section at the entrance. In the foreground is the top of the arched basis villae or platform on which the villa is buil...

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CORNER ENTRANCE

Forum of Pompeii After 80 B.C. A corner entrance to the forum. The marble-covered arch was dedicated to Tiberius and the niches held statues of Nero and Drusus. The columns faced the macellum, the meat and fish market....

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CUBICULUM 16

Villa of the Mysteries Pompeii c. 60 B.C. A more elaborate example of the second style with molding and arches in perspective. The architectural perspectives of the second style create illusions of space. By extending the wall surface beyond a single plane, the style radically changes the nature and feeling of the room....

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FRIEZE OF THE DIONYSIAC MYSTERIES

Villa of the Mysteries Pompeii c. 50 B.C. Near the end of the frieze the initiate kneels for the ritual flagellation. The beautiful nude figure of Bacchante dances willy....

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PENTHEUS ROOM

House of the Vettii Pompeii c. 70 These side panels have airy architectural scenes set into elaborately painted borders. The dining room is named after a large painting of Pentheus as he is being torn apart by maenads. Other mythological scenes are in panels adjacent to architectural views....

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VENUS

House of Venus Pompeii After 62 In this garden fresco, the goddess Venus floats on a shell and two Cupids ride dolphins. Combined with other paintings of garden scenes, the garden is made to appear larger....

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SECOND STYLE WALL

House of the Griffins Palatine, Rome c. 80 B.C. This is one of the first known paintings in the second style. The column bases are rendered in perspective, giving depth to the wall and added size to the room. In this early example the wall is divided horizontally into three areas, a characteristic element lasting throughout the style....

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WINE SHOP

Via dell'Abbondanza Pompeii The interior of the small food and wine shop with a wall painting of its guardian deities....

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FICO DEL SUPRANARE

Pompeii A small winding street. The house on the left with its jutting upper floor balcony was a brothel....

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