16. Boscoreale. Villa Pompeiani di Publio Fannio Sinistore. Villa of Publius Fannius Synistor.

In later times the Villa of L. Herius Florus or Lucius Herennius Florus.

Part :     1        2        3        4        5        6        7        8       Plan

Villa of P. Fannius Synistor at Boscoreale. May 2010. Room H, triclinium, panel at north end of east wall.

Copy of fresco now in Naples Museum.

Villa of P. Fannius Synistor at Boscoreale. Room H, panel at centre of east wall.

A man and woman seated side by side on a throne appear lost in conversation or reflection.

The man has his hands resting on a sceptre.

Photo © The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Rogers Fund 1903. Inventory number 03.14.6.

See www.metmuseum.org

Villa of P. Fannius Synistor at Boscoreale. 1900. Room H, panel in situ at centre of east wall.  

Man and woman seated side by side on a throne.

It has been suggested they may be Thetis and Achilles, Hercules and Iole or an early Hellenistic ruler and his wife.

See Barnabei F., 1901. La villa pompeiana di P. Fannio Sinistore. Roma: Accademia dei Lincei. p. 56,Tav. VI.

Villa of P. Fannius Synistor at Boscoreale. c.1903? Room H, panel in situ at centre of east wall. 

Man and woman seated side by side on a throne.

Note the white edge to the top of the plaster.

See Sambon A, 1903. Les Fresques de Boscoreale. Paris and Naples: Canessa. 20, p. 14.

Villa of P. Fannius Synistor at Boscoreale. 1903 drawing of panel in centre of east wall of room H. 

According to Sambon, this represents two seated figures.

A naked man (athlete?), in the Herculean form, sits back on a throne and seems proud of his male body and energetic beauty.

He rests his hands on a stick on the ground. His green robe slides off his shoulders and falls in folds on the blue cushion.

With him sits a woman, her head wrapped with her light green robe, having for a jewel a ring seal.

The right elbow is pressed on her knee and her chin on the hand.

Her eyes are fixed on her companion, but with the vague look of a pensive person.

See Sambon A, 1903. Les Fresques de Boscoreale. Paris and Naples: Canessa. 20, p. 12, p. 14.

Note the colonnade and figures in a doorway at the top of the drawing.

According to Sambon, two small paintings were on the cornice of the wall on which were painted the citharist and other figures.

He describes one as Bellona [the goddess of war] standing, dressed in a purple tunic, her head covered with a red scarf.

She holds a spear and a shield.

Next to her, a seated woman with a hooded head, is pressing her chin in her hand; Height: 0.43m; width: 0.42m.

See Sambon A, 1903. Les Fresques de Boscoreale. Paris and Naples: Canessa. 24-25, p. 16-17.

Villa of P. Fannius Synistor at Boscoreale. 1903 painting. Room H, triclinium east wall.

See Sambon A, 1903. Les Fresques de Boscoreale. Paris and Naples: Canessa. pl. II.

Villa of P. Fannius Synistor at Boscoreale. Room H south end of east wall.

Standing woman clad in a white chiton and blue cloak and holding a gold shield in her right hand.

She is turning her head upwards to gaze towards the wall with Venus.

The front of the shield shows the image of a standing nude male figure who is adorned with a white headband, the same as those worn by Hellenistic dynasts.

This small male figure has been described as a reflected image on the shield, a popular motif in Hellenistic art.

However, since there is no image in the fresco cycle that corresponds to a reflection, the figure should be understood as an apparition, which, in antiquity, was viewed as prophetic.

The small apparition with a portrait like head in this particular fresco may refer to a Hellenistic royal heir, and the woman bearing the shield may represent a priestess or prophetess.

Photo © The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Rogers Fund 1903. Inventory number 03.14.7.

See www.metmuseum.org

See Barnabei F., 1901. La villa pompeiana di P. Fannio Sinistore. Roma: Accademia dei Lincei. p.57, Fig. 12.

Villa of P. Fannius Synistor at Boscoreale 1900.  Room H south end of east wall.

In situ excavation photo of standing woman holding a gold shield.

Villa of P. Fannius Synistor at Boscoreale. 1903 painting. Room H, triclinium east wall.

See Sambon A, 1903. Les Fresques de Boscoreale. Paris and Naples: Canessa. pl. III.

Villa of P. Fannius Synistor at Boscoreale. May 2010. Room H, triclinium, panel at north end of east wall.

Fresco copy in Naples Museum, of standing woman holding a gold shield.

Villa of P. Fannius Synistor at Boscoreale. Room H, north wall, centre top panel.

Painting of architectural scene located just below ceiling level.

The painted columns would have extended from the room ceiling to the floor.

The painting of Venus was immediately below, bounded between the two columns.

See Bergmann B., 2010, in Roman Frescoes from Boscoreale. New York: Metropolitan Museum of Art. Fig. 39.

See Sampaolo V. and Bragantini I., Eds, 2009. La Pittura Pompeiana. Electa: Verona. P. 180-1.

Now in Naples Archaeological Museum. Inventory number s. n. 3.

Villa of P. Fannius Synistor at Boscoreale. 1900 drawing of room H, north wall, centre panel.

Between the columns is a painting of Venus Genetrix and cupids.

On the wall to the left of Venus, was a painting of Dionysus, sitting abandoned to pleasure, crowned with ivy, a thyrsus in his right hand.

He was in the act of raising his arm to embrace the beautiful Ariadne, sitting on his left side.

It was the representation of the wedding of Dionysus at Naxos.

According to Barnabei, Prof. Sogliano reported that the painting of Dionysus had suffered.

On the wall to the right of Venus were the Three Graces, posing arm in arm in their usual embrace.

According to Barnabei, Prof. Sogliano reported seeing the three women although they were pale and faded.,

See Barnabei F., 1901. La villa pompeiana di P. Fannio Sinistore. Roma: Accademia dei Lincei. p.53, Fig. 11.

Note the colonnade and figures in a doorway at the top of the drawing.

According to Sambon, two small paintings were on the cornice of the wall on which were painted the citharist and other figures.

He describes one a seated woman, left, in a meditative stance, a piece of her cloak wrapped over the head.

Near her a manly figure draped, standing before an altar.

Height: 0.35; width: 0.35.

See Sambon A, 1903. Les Fresques de Boscoreale. Paris and Naples: Canessa. 24-25, p. 16-17.

Villa of P. Fannius Synistor at Boscoreale. Room H, north wall, centre panel.

Painting of Venus Genitrix and cupids.

Venus is covered only in a yellowish mantle lined with violet. Cupid rests on her right leg.

The blue sea is behind, and a small temple with the winged Psyche.

At the foot of the temple are other fishing cupids with outstretched wings.

On the other side of the painting in the middle of the sea is another temple, with Fortuna on a base.

Another god stands on another base.

Now in Naples Archaeological Museum.  Inventory number s. n. 4.

See Barnabei F., 1901. La villa pompeiana di P. Fannio Sinistore. Roma: Accademia dei Lincei. p.53, Fig. 11.

Villa of P. Fannius Synistor at Boscoreale. Room H, fragment of fresco from upper east end of north wall.

Photo © The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Rogers Fund 1903. Inventory number 03.14.8.

See www.metmuseum.org

Villa of P. Fannius Synistor at Boscoreale. Room H, fragment of fresco from upper west end of north wall.

Photo © The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Rogers Fund 1903. Inventory number 03.14.9.

See www.metmuseum.org

According to Sambon, two small paintings were on the cornice of the wall on which were painted the citharist and other figures.

He describes one as Bellona [the goddess of war] standing, dressed in a purple tunic, her head covered with a red scarf.

She holds a spear and a shield.

Next to her, a seated woman with a hooded head, is pressing her chin in her hand;. Height: 0.43m; width: 0.42m.

See Sambon A, 1903. Les Fresques de Boscoreale. Paris and Naples: Canessa. 24-25, p. 16-17.

Villa of P. Fannius Synistor at Boscoreale. 1903. Room H, south wall. Fresco of the mask of the god Pan.

Photo © Bayonne, Musée Bonnat-Helleu / cliché A. Vaquero.

Now in Musée Bonnat-Helleu, Bayonne. Inventory number 804.

Villa of P. Fannius Synistor at Boscoreale. 1903. Room H, south wall. Mask of the god Pan.

According to Sambon, this mask was painted on the cornice, near the architrave.

Size 0.57m; width: 0.43m high.

See Sambon A, 1903. Les Fresques de Boscoreale. Paris and Naples: Canessa. 23, p. 16.

Part :     1        2        3        4        5        6        7        8       Plan