Art Appreciation: The Art of Pompeii

Pompeii has provided an invaluable insight to the Roman world and many claim it to be the richest archaeological site in the world, because of the amount of raw data it has given scholars.

What is interesting about frescoes (mural paintings) is that they are painted onto freshly-laid or wet lime plaster: ‘fresco’ means ‘fresh’. This way, the paint mixes with the plaster and becomes much more durable. Mosaics, on the other hand, were created using tiny pieces of colored glass, stone, or other materials. They were artfully arranged to create an elaborate picture. Frescos and mosaics depicted anything from Roman myths, religion, sports, war campaigns or sex. The ubiquity of such imagery and items indicates that the treatment of sexuality in ancient Rome was more relaxed than in current Western culture.

We will discover that what makes these frescoes particularly invaluable to us today is the range of subjects and styles depicted within them. The painting styles are classified into four categories, including the early First Style, which recreated marble-like textures, and the popular Third Style, which divided walls into panels depicting various scenes, such as the paradise garden below. Each style period displays an abundance of detail and provides us with a fascinating snapshot of cultural life in the Roman world.

Come along and tour Pompeii from the comfort of your sitting room.