WALL FRESCO, 40-30 BCE, FROM THE HOURS OF THE CRYPTOPORTICUS. POMPEII, ANTIQUARIUM
Here we see a stretch of wall from the interesting late-Republican domus called the House of the Cryptoporticus (I 6, 2). The underground hall that gives the house its name is similarly frescoed with panels and herms, but here in the œcus or living room the decoration is even more lavish. The lower two thirds of the wall are a continuous yellow surface broken by a red herm of a satyr with a double flute, a painting of a statue, which is painted a secco on top of the frescoed architecture. His lower hand seems to be hitching up a garland wrapped around his waist and reaching toward other herms beyond the edges of the fresco. A small decorated band stretches along the top of the yellow wall, with an illusionistic shelf above. Two pinaces, painted scenes with shutters. At right is a still life with rooster and fruit, and at left a scene of Alkestis bidding farewell as Charon's ferry awaits.
#FrescoFriday takes us to the House of the #Cryptoporticus in #Pompeii, or rather to this #fresco from the House's #œcus, now in the Antiquarium. From 40-30 BCE, this is a sophisticated decoration with garlands and a #herm, and two pictures with illusionistic shutters above. #AncientBluesky 🏺
