I.3.25 Pompeii. Casa dei Guerrieri or the House of the Bronzehandlers.

Linked to I.3.26. Excavated 1869.

Part 2.                                       Part 3

 

Part 1

 

I.3.25 Pompeii. December 2006. Looking west across 3-sided pseudoperistyle to garden area.

According to Schefold, on the south-west corner pillar there was a painting of a flying Isis Fortuna with a horn of plenty and a globe.

See Schefold, K., 1957. Die Wände Pompejis. Berlin: De Gruyter. (p. 13).

According to Trendelenburg, this small rectangular peristyle was open to the west side onto a small garden area.

The other three sides were surrounded by a low podium of material, on which rested four brick columns, originally faced with coloured stucco.

The peristyle was being restored at the time of the catastrophe in 79AD.

The podium on the left side ended with a large pilaster.

This surviving pilaster, on a background of red stucco, showed a different type of female flying figure (height I.15m).

She was naked, except for a transparent yellow mantle, covering her from her breast to her knees.

In her right hand she held a wreath or crown of laurel, in her left was a cornucopia.

At her feet was a globe.

See Trendelenburg in BdI 1871 (p.173)

According to Sogliano, Nike (Victory) with a yellow transparent veil painted on a red background, was found on the corner pilaster in the south-west corner of the peristyle.

See Sogliano, A., 1879. Le pitture murali campane scoverte negli anni 1867-79. Napoli: Giannini. (p.72, no.431)

 

I.3.25 Pompeii. December 2006. Looking north-east, across garden area towards exedra or large triclinium.

The large room had a window overlooking the garden area.

It was not decorated, but perhaps the paintings had fallen together with the plaster from the walls, or perhaps also here the new restorations were not complete.

See Trendelenburg in BdI, 1871, (p.173)

 

I.3.25 Pompeii. December 2006. Looking east along corridor on south side of pseudoperistyle and garden.

 

I.3.25 Pompeii. December 2006. Pseudoperistyle, cistern mouth.

 

I.3.25 Pompeii. December 2006. Looking east across three-sided pseudoperistyle.

 

I.3.25 Pompeii. December 2006.

Looking east into area of steps to upper floor, on north-east corner of peristyle.

 

I.3.25 Pompeii. December 2006. Looking south into doorway to oecus.

 

I.3.25 Pompeii. December 2006. South wall of oecus. Stage type painting or scaenae frons.

Herbig interpreted this room as representing the quarrel of Aphrodite and Hesperos over beauty, with Apollo in judgement.

See Schefold, K., 1962. Vergessenes Pompeji. Bern: Francke. (p. 126 T: 90,2; 91)

 

I.3.25 Pompeii. December 2006. South wall. Detail of wall painting of warrior.

 

I.3.25 Pompeii. December 2006. South wall. Detail of wall painting of figure symbolising beauty.

 

I.3.25 Pompeii. December 2006. South wall. Detail of wall painting of Hesperos.

 

I.3.25 Pompeii. December 2006. South wall. Detail of wall painting of trumpet player.

 

I.3.25 Pompeii. December 2006. South wall. Detail of wall painting of figure symbolising beauty.

 

I.3.25 Pompeii. December 2006. West wall. Painting of Aphrodite, warrior and naked youth.

In the missing plaster gaps were paintings of a warrior and, above that, of two deities, one kneeling (Egyptian?). These were stolen in 1977.

See Schefold, K., 1962. Vergessenes Pompeji. Bern: Francke. (p. 126 T: 90,2).

 

I.3.25 Pompeii. December 2006. Detail of wall painting on west wall.

Aphrodite leaning on a pillar, with left leg over the right leg holding the end of her robe with her right hand.

 

I.3.25 Pompeii. December 2006. Detail of wall painting on west wall. A naked youth symbolising beauty.

 

I.3.25 Pompeii. December 2006. Oecus, east wall.

To the right of the centre panel was a painting of a warrior, which was similar to the one on the left. It was stolen in 1977.

See Schefold, K., 1962. Vergessenes Pompeji. Bern: Francke. (p. 126 T: 91 for east and south walls).

By 1981, at least one of the paintings from the east wall had been recovered.

This would have been located in the upper south-east corner above the stolen painting to the right of the centre panel.

It was of a figure, which can be seen in Schefold’s picture 91, and also

see Pompei 1748-1980, I tempi della documentazione, catalogue of the 1981-2 exhibition, (p.72, figs 32 and 33).

See Schefold, K., 1962. Vergessenes Pompeji. Bern: Francke. (p. 126 T: 91).

 

 

 

 

Part 3

 

Part 1