Lemons and strawberry trees, fruit and ornamental plants, fluttering birds, and a fig tree with a snake wrapped around it. This is how the floral cubicles (bedrooms) of the House of the Orchard in Pompeii were decorated. Lush vegetation painted on the walls, to envelop the rest of the ancient inhabitants of this residence located on Via dell'Abbondanza, which preserves one of the most beautiful examples of garden painting found in the city.
On December 19 and 20, 2019, visitors will be able to observe up close the delicate restoration work that is involving these frescoes. The ongoing intervention, curated by the restorers of the Archaeological Park of Pompeii, is being carried out with ordinary funds.
The restorers will be available during the two days, to show and explain the meticulous restoration techniques applied to the paintings. An opportunity to preview the colors and details, awaiting the opening of the domus scheduled for February 1, 2020, at the end of the works.
The frescoes in one of the rooms depict a bright garden, imagined during the day in full green luxuriance, with such precision of detail as to make it possible to recognize the plant species and in the other, a garden immersed in the darkness of the night, with three trees of different sizes, including the large fig tree with the snake, an omen of prosperity.
Unlike what is attested in other houses where garden painting was reserved for the reception rooms, here it is found in the cubicles. In some rooms, the representations are also enriched by Egyptian motifs with references to Isis, a probable sign of devotion to the goddess by the owner.
The domus, partially excavated in 1913 and then in 1951, has the classic atrium layout, around which various rooms are arranged and in the rear part a green space with a summer triclinium, used during the hot season as an alternative to the inner triclinium.
Ornamental gardens, both depicted on the walls to expand the visual space of the rooms, and as internal green spaces, where the dwelling allowed it, characterised many of the homes in the ancient city.
Two splendid examples of internal gardens are those of the House of the Ephebe and of Triptolemus, recently restored to their splendor, following the maintenance interventions of the greenery, which involved their rearrangement according to non-impact projects and historical-botanical criteria in the choice of essences.
During the Christmas holidays – starting December 23 – visitors to Pompeii will be able to admire these and other domus characterized by beautiful vegetation, in a real green itinerary.
In addition to the House of Triptolemus and the Ephebe, among the beautiful domus with large internal gardens that are worth a visit are: the House of the Golden Cupids, also recently reopened after maintenance work, the House of the Anchor with its unique garden underneath, the House of Menander, the Praedia of Julia Felix, the House of Venus in the Shell, and the House of Marcus Lucretius on Via Stabiana.
EDITORIAL TEAM
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