VI.2.14 Pompeii. Casa delle Amazzoni or House of the Amazons

or Casa di Iside e di Osiride or Casa delle Muse.

Excavated c.1810.

Part 2

VI.2.14 Pompeii. Sketch of plan of house. 

See Lesueur, Jean-Baptiste Ciceron. Voyage en Italie de Jean-Baptiste Ciceron Lesueur (1794-1883), pl. 18.

See Book on INHA reference INHA NUM PC 15469 (04)  « Licence Ouverte / Open Licence » Etalab

According to Fiorelli –

“Anche la quinta casa tiene, due stanze accosto al protiro, ed una di esse con gradinata per ascendere all’altro piano. Nel destro lato dell’atrio offre una località priva di porta, che potrebbe dirsi ala, fra due cellette, e di fronte il tablino, in cui rimane dipinto un giovane in piedi, forse Apollo, che solleva la faretra: ai lati del tablino si trovano la fauce, ed il triclinio sporgente nel viridario, che ha di rincontro l’oecus con molti avanzi di belle dipinture, tra le quali un giovane a cavallo, un’Amazzone, un gruppo di Venere e di altre figure indeterminate, un quadretto con Arianna, e varie figurine sedute sulle sommità di architetture fantastiche, o con attributi delle divinità della luce. Nel giardino stava un’aretta di fabbrica innanzi ad una nicchia, nella quale eransi dipinte le immagini dei numi protettori della casa, Iside Osiride ed Arpocrate.”

See Pappalardo, U., 2001. La Descrizione di Pompei per Giuseppe Fiorelli (1875). Napoli: Massa Editore. (p. 51).

(The fifth house also has two rooms next to the entrance corridor, and one of them has steps to go up to another floor. On the right side of the atrium there is a room without a door, which could be called an ala between two rooms, and in front of it, facing the entrance corridor, is the tablinum, in which remains a painting of a standing young man, perhaps Apollo lifting his quiver: at the side of the tablinum is a corridor, and a triclinium protruding into the garden area, which has an oecus facing it with many remains of beautiful paintings, including a young man on horseback, an Amazon, a group of Venus and other indeterminate figures, a painting with Ariadne, and various figures seated on the tops of fantastic architecture, or with the attributes of the gods of light. In the garden there was a small altar in front of a niche, in which were painted the images of the patron gods of the house, Isis Osiris and Harpocrates.)

VI.2.14 Pompeii. 1870. Description of the house.

See Breton, Ernest. 1870. Pompeia, Guide de visite a Pompei, 3rd ed. Paris, Guerin, p. 309.

VI.2.14 Pompeii. 1870. Description of the house.

See Breton, Ernest. 1870. Pompeia, Guide de visite a Pompei, 3rd ed. Paris, Guerin, p. 310.

VI.2.14 Pompeii. 1825. Description of the house.

See Agyagfalva, Ludwig Goro von. Wanderungen durch Pompei. Wien: Morschner und Jasper, 1825. (p. 95).

VI.2.14 Pompeii. 1882. Description of the house.

See Mau, A. 1882. Geschichte der Decorativen Wandmalerei in Pompeji. Berlin: Reimer, (p. 68).

VI.2.14 Pompeii. 1882. Description of the house.

See Mau, A. 1882. Geschichte der Decorativen Wandmalerei in Pompeji. Berlin: Reimer, (p. 417).

VI.2.14 Pompeii. 1882. Description of the house.

See Mau, A. 1882. Geschichte der Decorativen Wandmalerei in Pompeji. Berlin: Reimer, (p. 418).

Various archaeological excavations have been carried out in parts of the House during the early 2000’s.

See Rivista di Studi Pompeiani, Vol. XIV (2003), p.289-296; Vol. XV (2004), p.143-146); Vol. XVIII (2007), p.106-7.

(Rivista di Studi, Associazione Internazionale Amici di Pompei. Roma: “L’ERMA” di Bretschneider.)

VI.2.14 Pompeii. September 2005. Entrance doorway.

VI.2.14 Pompeii. September 2005.

Looking east across the atrium from the entrance corridor, looking through the small tablinum towards the east wall of the garden area, on left. 

On the right is an oecus, looking through doorway towards south-east corner. The south side of the atrium was not photographed.

According to Kuivalainen, in the oecus was a painting of a figure sitting on a barrel.

He comments: Most sources do not mention this painting at all.

Bacchus and a barrel is a rare combination, but the playful nature of the two counterparts supports the identification. Silenus is also shown riding a donkey.

This kind of humorous iconography is more common in Bacchic sculpture.

Barrels were relatively rare in the first century AD, with increasing use in place of amphorae becoming more usual in the later second century.

The scene combines Bacchus with his characteristic product in an unusual reference.

See Kuivalainen, I., 2021. The Portrayal of Pompeian Bacchus. Commentationes Humanarum Litterarum 140. Helsinki: Finnish Society of Sciences and Letters, (p.103, B16, D14).

VI.2.14 Pompeii. September 2005. Looking towards south wall of oecus.

VI.2.14 Pompeii. Painting by Discanno of wall.

According to Niccolini -

“Tav. XV.

Pittura murale – In una nota posta al principio di questo capitolo abbiamo detto che avremmo qui pubblicate moltissime importanti pitture murale di Pompei, che non hanno trovato posto in altre parti dell’opera.

Gran parte di queste pareti sono completamente distrutte, altre danneggiate in modi da mostrare solo gl’incerti contorni.

Noi soli, però avendo la fortuna di possederne i disegni, fatti sin dal tempo del loro scoprimento, possiamo darne la riproduzione.

La parete che qui pubblichiamo era appunto una di quelle distrutte. Era pregevole per la finezza e semplicità del lavoro. Il quadro di mezzo rappresenta Venere pescatrice, soggetto caro a’ pompeiani, perché trovasi spesse volte ripetuto nei loro dipinti.”

See Niccolini, F., 1890. Le Case ed i Monumenti di Pompei. Book 3, L’arte in Pompei, tav. XV.

(Tav. XV.

Wall painting – In a note placed at the beginning of this chapter we said that we would publish here many important wall paintings from Pompeii, which have not found a place in other parts of the work.

Most of these walls are completely destroyed, others damaged in ways that only reveal the uncertain outlines.

We alone, however, having the good fortune to possess the drawings, made since the time of their discovery, can give them a reproduction.

The wall that we publish here was one of those destroyed. It was remarkable for the finesse and simplicity of the work.

The middle painting depicts Venus fishing, a subject dear to the Pompeians, because it is often repeated in their paintings.)

(Note - this wall is very similar to the walls in the triclinium, but no wall has a central painting of “Venus fishing”.

The west wall of triclinium has the remains of wall painting of sitting man, cupid and abandoned Ariadne.

The north wall of the triclinium has the remains of a wall painting showing a male figure, column, small cupid and Aphrodite. 

The east wall of the triclinium has a very faded central painting of a contest between the light divinities, Aphrodite and Hesperus, in front of a cupid.

In the oecus, the north and west wall have doorways, so no wall for a central painting.

The east and south wall would have had the space for a central panel, but according to Breton, had paintings of “Bacchus sitting on a barrel” and “Silenus with a donkey”.)

According to Helbig – the following paintings were seen in this house –

Socle of atrium: 2 fighting cocks, 1636

Tablinum: Youth with quiver, 1837

Garden: Egyptian sacred painting, 80

Room to left of garden: Ariadne, 1232

                                   Aphrodite and indistinct group, 312

                                   Divinities of light, 967

                                   Youth on a horse, 1842

                                   Amazon on a horse, 1249

Undetermined where: Eros, 650

See Helbig, W., 1868. Wandgemälde der vom Vesuv verschütteten Städte Campaniens. Leipzig: Breitkopf und Härtel, p. 466.

VI.2.14 Pompeii. September 2005. East wall of garden area.

On the rear wall of the small garden area was a garden painting. 

See Jashemski, W. F., 1993. The Gardens of Pompeii, Volume II: Appendices. New York: Caratzas. (p.122).

VI.2.14 Pompeii. 1812 garden painting on east wall at the rear of garden. 

Painting by Francesco Morelli, 1812, long wall of the small atrium.

Now in Naples Archaeological Museum. Inventory number ADS 130.

Photo © ICCD. https://www.catalogo.beniculturali.it

Utilizzabili alle condizioni della licenza Attribuzione - Non commerciale - Condividi allo stesso modo 2.5 Italia (CC BY-NC-SA 2.5 IT)

VI.2.14 Pompeii. Garden painting on east wall at the rear of garden. 

Old undated photograph courtesy of the Society of Antiquaries, Fox Collection.

This incorporated a lararium with the likenesses of Egyptian deities, Isis, Osiris and Harpocrates.

See Jashemski, W. F., 1993. The Gardens of Pompeii, Volume II: Appendices. New York: Caratzas. (p. 122).

According to Boyce, on the east wall was a shrine for Egyptian deities, which had disappeared before Helbig made his descriptions.

Helbig’s descriptions were taken from the Pomp. Ant. Hist.

Below the lararium niche was a brick altar standing on the floor of the room, coated with red stucco and with a yellow candelabrum painted on it.

See Boyce G. K., 1937. Corpus of the Lararia of Pompeii. Rome: MAAR 14. (p. 44, no. 141).

According to CTP –

The painting of Isis, Osiris and Harpocrates was found in March 1811. See PAH, I, 3, (pp.52-54) – 16^th March. (p.239, Addenda).

See Van der Poel, H. B., 1983. Corpus Topographicum Pompeianum, Part II. Austin: University of Texas. (p.247).

VI.2.14 Pompeii. c.1819-1832.

Drawings by Gell, the lower one would appear to be a panel from the upper east wall of the garden area.

The upper medallion has not been traced, at the present time.

See Gell, W. Pompeii unpublished [Dessins de l'édition de 1832 donnant le résultat des fouilles post 1819 (?)] vol II, pl. 87.

Bibliothèque de l'Institut National d'Histoire de l'Art, collections Jacques Doucet, Identifiant numérique Num MS180 (2).

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VI.2.14 Pompeii. September 2005. Atrium, remains of painted plaster on north wall.

VI.2.14 Pompeii. September 2005. Looking east across north side of atrium, from room on north side of entrance fauces.

Looking east towards a corridor to the garden area, on the north side of the tablinum.

VI.2.14 Pompeii. September 2005. Remains of painted plaster in room on north side of entrance corridor.

VI.2.14 Pompeii. September 2005. Tablinum, narrow upper north wall with remains of painted stucco.

The upper area showed a painted figure, perhaps of a divinity.

VI.2.14 Pompeii. September 2005. Tablinum, narrow north wall with remains of painted stucco.

The wall was divided into two areas by a painted candelabra, each of the two areas contained a painted panel.

On the east side the painted panel contained a painting of a cupid.

Although the colour of the north wall was completely faded, it was probably the same as the west wall with black zoccolo and middle zone, and white upper.

Part 2