Part 4 of the Pompeii Series

Plenty of ancient Roman art was on display in the first three posts of the streets and homes of Pompeii and Herculaneum.

But much more art dug up by the archeologists – sculptures and wall paintings, on prosaic, mythological and erotic themes – made its way to the large Naples Museum. Or smaller exhibits in Pompeii and Herculaneum.

Like these first sculptures, wall paintings and friezes that were displayed in a special exhibit on “Sensuality in Pompeii” in the halls encircling the large gymnasium by the Pompeii Coliseum.

The small museum at Herculaneum focused on displays of wealth in that city catering to the upper class. Of course that doesn’t disclude sensuality. The ancient Romans were plenty comfortable with (nonsexual) displays of nudity in their art. (Explicit depictions of sexuality was popular too, but mostly reserved for brothels and private consumption).

Now let’s take in some of the wealth of art on display in the Naples Museum. So many treasures…

Bust of Silenus decorating a safe – Bust of Menad decorating a safe

To state the obvious, the frames are modern additions by the museum. As we saw in previous blog posts, all paintings were done directly onto the walls in Roman society.

A model of the ruins of Pompeii – worth comparing certain parts with the photos of the actual locations.

A model of the Temple of Isis, right beside the large amphitheatre. You can see pics of the ruin in “The Streets of Pompeii“.

From the myth of Telephus: Achilles (right) scrapes rust from his spear on the wound of the seated Telephus. The scene at left I believe is Achilles with Clytemestra. We saw this frieze’s copy in its original spot in Herculaneum.

Portrait of the baker Terentius Neo and his wife in an intellectual pose. Said to be the only one of its kind discovered in the Vesuvian cities.

Only a few victim plaster casts are displayed in the Naples Museum. The sign refers to her dress being wrapped around her hips. But from what I learned at Pompeii it looks like she has the kind of leather band affixed around her waist that indicates that this woman was enslaved.

Was rather surprised that this sculpture was not displayed in the “special section” of the museum considering its explicit nature (see the angle below).

That said, we will get to more NSFW stuff in the “secret cabinet” soon…

Dionysius Plato

Sappho

We saw this statue’s copy inside a Pompeii home.

Um, what’s about to happen here?

Anyway, or apropos, time to enter the specially marked off “Secret Cabinet” for mature audiences only…. (but Ed and I went in nonetheless…)

Maenad and Satyr

Satyr and Nymph

Leda and Swan

Pan and Hermaphrodite

Old Satyr and Hermaphrodite

Satyr and Hermaphrodite

Satyr trying to “join” with Hermaphrodite (according to the Italian wording)