1,900-Year-Old Opulent 'House Of The Vettii' In Pompeii Restored

Table Of Content

• View within Art Histories
• 'My body was shaking': The fake text message that led to Jenny's family losing their savings
• Archaeologists discover four new rooms in Pompeii house, shedding light on life of the ancient middle class
• An Ancient Cemetery, Resurrected
• Plan
• Fresco from the House of Golden Bracelet, Pompeii

This scene shows Ariadne abandoned by Theseus on the island of Naxos after their flight from Crete due to Theseus killing the Minotaur. There are two service areas in the house, the first being centered around the small atrium. The second was accessible from the main atrium of the house as well as the second entrance from the Vicolo di Mercurio on the south facade. Draft animals were moved through this gate and stabled in the shop.[11] Besides the shop is an additional chamber and latrine. On the right-hand wall in the first room we can see a Fresco depicting the myth of Leander swimming towards his beloved Hero, while the opposite wall portrays Ariadne abandoned by Theseus on Naxos.

View within Art Histories

Its detailed frescoes, intricate mosaics, and innovative layout contribute to a fascinating portrait of affluent Roman living, beckoning visitors from around the world to explore its many mysteries. The recent restoration of the House of the Vettii involved the painstaking removal of all that dirt and wax using lasers, a process called photoablation. Ultrasound and thermal imaging helped conservators understand how the walls themselves were deteriorating with time, and how to shore them up without damaging the frescoes. In addition to being a little prudish, Pompeii’s early caretakers also made some well-intentioned mistakes. To protect frescoes from the region’s heat and humidity, they painted on a solution of wax and benzine, which oxidized the pigments over time, darkening the colors and making the images far less crisp and lively than they would have appeared on the eve of the eruption.

'My body was shaking': The fake text message that led to Jenny's family losing their savings

Amphion and Zethus were twins bore by Antiope, niece of Lykos, after being seduced by Zeus. After the twins were born, Lykos exposed them on Mt. Cithairon, but they were found by a shepherd who took them in. As punishment, Lykos imprisoned Antiope and allowed his wife, Dirce, to treat her cruelly.

Archaeologists discover four new rooms in Pompeii house, shedding light on life of the ancient middle class

“This is the house which tells the story of Roman society,” Gabriel Zuchtriegel, the director of Pompeii archaeological park, told The Guardian. In conclusion, the House of the Vettii is a remarkable symbol of Pompeii’s past grandeur and the enduring legacy of Roman civilisation. From its magnificent frescoes and intricate architectural details to the compelling story of its owners, every aspect of this house offers a unique window into the life and culture of ancient Rome. The Vettii, who like many Roman slaves would have been freed in their early 20s, likely lived here with their wives and families, Potter says.

Given fresh life were frescoes made in the latest fashion in Pompeii wall decoration, before the flourishing city was buried under the volcanic ash furiously spewing from Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD. The House of the Vettii has been closed to visitors for 20 years, with a brief interruption restricted to the entrance hall and the atrium in 2016, although this area was subsequently closed off again to enable the completion of the restoration work. It will now take its place once again as one of the highlights of a visit to Pompeii. The house has been included in the list of buildings that will remain open on a permanent basis to visitors in 2023. It is always included in guides to the UNESCO World Heritage site and books on ancient art as a result of its extraordinary frescoes and the sculptures that adorned the large garden. As one of the most opulent homes in Pompeii, the House of the Vettii is widely regarded as a vital archaeological resource for understanding the social and cultural dynamics of the Roman era.

After years in slavery, the men “then had an incredible career after that and reached the highest ranks of local society, at least economically,” judging by their upscale domus and garden, Zuchtriegel said. “They evidently tried to show their new status also through culture and through Greek mythological paintings, and it’s all about saying, ‘We’ve made it and so we are part of this elite’” of the Roman world. Like most of Pompeii's famous townhouses, House of the Vettii, or Casa dei Vettii, was found in remarkably good condition when it was first discovered in the late 19th century.

See the newly restored Pompeii home that was once buried by Mt. Vesuvius - Yahoo News Canada

See the newly restored Pompeii home that was once buried by Mt. Vesuvius.

Posted: Fri, 27 Jan 2023 00:25:55 GMT [source]

Plan

This scene depicts Herakles as a child strangling the snakes sent by Hera to kill him. Hera become jealous of this relationship and sets out to kill the product of her husband's affair. She sends two snakes into Herakles crib, but the child easily averts her efforts by killing the snakes. The mythological scene, Daedalus and Pasiphae is located on the north wall of the same triclinium where the Punishment of Ixion is depicted.

Excavated between 1894 and 1896, the House of the Vettii belonged to Aulus Vettius Conviva and Aulus Vettius Restitutus, probably two freedmen brothers who had become rich through commerce in wine. The magnificent paintings and sculptures in the house also reflect the wealth of the territory of Pompeii, where wine was produced for export throughout the Mediterranean, and social mobility which enabled two former slaves to reach the upper echelons of local society. The construction of the House of the Vettii is attributed to the prosperous Vettii brothers, Aulus Vettius Conviva and Aulus Vettius Restitutus.

In Roman society, women and men socialized in the same spaces, and both genders would have experienced erotic paintings and sculptures as conversation pieces perfectly fit for polite company. Priapus symbolized male power and virility, but he was also the enemy of thieves, as well as a humorous figure that might have made guests smile. The decorative schema of the House of the Vettii provides important evidence for trends in domestic decoration in the final years of Pompeii’s occupation. That caused significant destruction, the chronology of the wall paintings and other decorations in the House of the Vettii has been a topic of debate since the house’s discovery.

The house  was built atop the remains of an earlier house that survives, in part, in the form of the wings (alae) and a doorway. The plan of the House of the Vettii has two large central halls (atria) and, significantly, lacks an office space (tablinum). Entry to the house was gained from the east by way of a vestibule that granted admission to the larger atrium.

The House of the Vettii, an opulent home in the ancient city of Pompeii, has reopened to the public after 20 years of restoration work. Talita von Furstenberg, co-chairman of the Diane von Furstenberg label and a current ambassador for Buccellati, told Vogue that “the curation of the exhibition allowed it to feel like you were going through this family company’s handcrafted, wearable art. It’s so rare that such a prolific brand still has authenticity and family values.” Von Furstenberg wore an emerald Buccellati ring, along with one of their cuffs and pendant necklaces. The celebratory gala dinner was hosted alongside the exhibition venue in a glass greenhouse large enough to accommodate five sprawling tables with Buccellati place settings tucked between overflowing bouquets of pink flowers. Day transformed to night as chef Cerea’s expressive dishes circulated—culminating with near-endless dessert options, including an unexpectedly luscious panettone and his signature cannoncini (a sweet custard filled treat).