Oecus Wall Painting, Villa of Poppaea, Oplontis |
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Photos by William Storage
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The Villa of Poppaea , built during the 1st century B.C. and enlarged in the Claudian period, was buried by the eruption of Vesuvius. An inscription on an amphora revealed that its owner was Poppaea Sabina, second wife of emperor Nero. The villa was not occupied during the eruption, apparently having been undergoing repairs from an earthquake at the time. Its oecus (reception room) contains a large wall painting in late Pompeian 2nd Style that demonstrates ancient use of vanishing-point perspective and false architectural space. The painting - Sanctuary of Apollo - includes a multi-story colonnade, a theater mask, and a peacock standing on a ledge. |
Copyright 2007 Bill Storage. |
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