Wednesday, June 1, 2011

The south wall presents a small eros looking at the scene on the east wall that shows the woman with her maid and the little cupid holding a mirror. This eros on the south wall stands as a witness and seems to anchor the events of the cycle. Next to the eros there is a space that empties onto the portico that adjoins the chamber and right of it, on the southwest corner wall, nearest the entry/exit portal is a fresco of a seated matron who is looking backward, as if reflecting on the entire rite of passage depicted in the scenes that lead up to her.

This circumambulation (or sequence of frescos that have been read in a clockwise pattern) is presented here according to Fierz-David & Hall's book as well as pompeiiinpictures.com. Virtual space is much more rigid than the experience of being there but Fierz-David & Hall have made it seem much more tangible. Also the photographs we've been able to gather from other visitors have helped to make this more visually defined. Maybe someday google's artproject will add the villa to their virtual museum tour as well.

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