VI.8.3 Pompeii. Casa del Poeta Tragico or House of the Tragic Poet.

Excavated 1824 to 1825. Linked to VI.8.5.

Part 2      Part 3      Part 4      Part 1      VI.8.3 and VI.8.5 Room Plan

VI.8.3/5 Pompeii. December 2006. Doorways to rooms 15 and 16 on west side of peristyle.

VI.8.3/5 Pompeii. December 2006. Room 16, looking west through doorway.

VI.8.3/5 Pompeii. December 2023. Room 16, looking towards west wall. Photo courtesy of Miriam Colomer.

The dado of this wall was black, with painted plants in separate panels.

The central panel of the middle zone was red separated from the yellow side panels by narrow black bands, possibly with golden candelabra.

In the middle of the red central panel was a painted medallion.

The upper zone was white with architectural paintings, and a moulded stucco cornice.

See Bragantini, de Vos, Badoni, 1983. Pitture e Pavimenti di Pompei, Parte 2. Rome: ICCD. (p.173).

VI.8.3/5 Pompeii. April 2022.

Room 16, west wall with square window. Photo courtesy of Johannes Eber.

VI.8.3/5 Pompeii. May 2015. Room 16, looking towards west wall. Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.

VI.8.3 Pompeii. March 2014. Room 16, looking across flooring towards west wall.

Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.

VI.8.3/5 Pompeii. c.1828. Room 16, painted decoration on north wall.

See Raoul Rochette et Bouchet J., 1828. Choix d'Edifices Inédits : Maison du Poète Tragique. Paris, pl 8. (described as wall of Tablinum)

VI.8.3/5 Pompeii. Room 16, north wall decoration, painting by Antonio Ala, 1847.

Now in Naples Archaeological Museum. Inventory number ADS 288.

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.8.3/5 Pompeii. c.1830. Drawing of medallion with building by Gell from his sketchbook, in which he wrote –

“Pretty in the original, chamber in inner court of Tragic Poet”.

See Gell, W. Sketchbook of Pompeii, c.1830.

See book from Van Der Poel Campanian Collection on Getty website http://hdl.handle.net/10020/2002m16b425

VI.8.3/5 Pompeii. December 2006. Room 16, decorative floor.

VI.8.3/5 Pompeii. c.1828. Drawings of details of mosaic floors, upper – from room 16, lower – from room 15.

See Raoul Rochette et Bouchet J., 1828. Choix d'Edifices Inédits : Maison du Poète Tragique. Paris, pl 21. Mosaïque des pièces marque 14 et 15 sur le plan.

VI.8.3/5 Pompeii. December 2006. Doorway to room 15, looking towards west wall with square window.

VI.8.3/5 Pompeii. December 2023. Room 15, looking towards west wall. Photo courtesy of Miriam Colomer.

The dado was black with painted plants in separated panels.

The middle zone was red separated by black bands.

In the middle of the central zone was a painting of Narcissus, now faded and unrecognisable.

The upper area was white with architectural designs, and a stucco cornice.

See Bragantini, de Vos, Badoni, 1983. Pitture e Pavimenti di Pompei, Parte 2. Rome: ICCD. (p.173)

See Helbig, W., 1868. Wandgemälde der vom Vesuv verschütteten Städte Campaniens. Leipzig: Breitkopf und Härtel. (1352)

According to Breton, when excavated, the painting of Narcissus was already faded and ruined.

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

VI.8.3/5 Pompeii. December 2006. Room 15, upper west wall with square window.

VI.8.3/5 Pompeii. December 2006. Room 15, north wall.

According to Bragantini, in the centre of the north wall would have been a painting of Venus fishing, now faded and destroyed.

See Bragantini, de Vos, Badoni, 1983. Pitture e Pavimenti di Pompei, Parte 2. Rome: ICCD. (p.173)

VI.8.3/5 Pompeii. c.1828. Room 15, painting of north wall.

See Raoul Rochette et Bouchet J., 1828. Choix d'Edifices Inédits : Maison du Poète Tragique. Paris, pl 9.

VI.8.3/5 Pompeii. Room 15, drawing of painting of Venus and cupid fishing, from north wall.

See Real Museo Borbonico, IV, tav.4.

VI.8.3/5 Pompeii. 1857. Room 15, drawing of painting of Venus and cupid fishing, from north wall.

Vénus et l'amour, 1857, Jules Elie Delaunay, Dessinateur.

Courtesy Paris Musées / Musée des Beaux-Arts de la Ville de Paris, Petit Palais.

Public Domain: use subject to CC0 licence. The photograph must remain under CC0 licence, so it is prohibited to sell the file.

VI.8.3/5 Pompeii. c.1828.  Room 15, drawing by Zahn of Venus fishing, from north wall.

See Zahn W. Neu entdeckte Wandgemälde in Pompeji gezeichnet von W. Zahn [ca. 1828], taf. 18.

VI.8.3/5 Pompeii. December 2006. Room 15, south wall.

According to Bragantini, in the centre of the south wall would have been a painting of Abandoned Ariadne, now faded.

See Bragantini, de Vos, Badoni, 1983. Pitture e Pavimenti di Pompei, Parte 2. Rome: ICCD. (p.173)

VI.8.3/5 Pompeii. Painting by Gottlieb Bindesbøll (1800-1856) from room 15, south wall.

Photo ©Danmarks Kunstbibliotek inv. no. ark_7137.

VI.8.3/5 Pompeii.

Room 15, south wall. Pen and ink drawing by Antonio Ala, 1846, showing south wall with central painting of Ariadne abandoned.

Now in Naples Archaeological Museum. Inventory number ADS 287.

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.8.3/5 Pompeii. c.1828.  Room 15, south wall, drawing by Zahn of Ariadne abandoned.

See Zahn W. Neu entdeckte Wandgemälde in Pompeji gezeichnet von W. Zahn [ca. 1828], taf. 17.

VI.8.3/5 Pompeii. c.1830. Drawing by Gell of Ariadne’s ship, detail from central painting on south wall of Room 15.

See Gell, W. Sketchbook of Pompeii, c.1830.

See book from Van Der Poel Campanian Collection on Getty website http://hdl.handle.net/10020/2002m16b425

VI.8.3/5 Pompeii. c.1828. Room 15, drawing by Zahn showing south wall with central painting of Ariadne abandoned.

See Zahn, W., 1828. Die schönsten Ornamente und merkwürdigsten Gemälde aus Pompeji, Herkulanum und Stabiae: I. Berlin: Reimer. (Taf. 33)

VI.8.3/5 Pompeii. 1825.

Room 15, drawings by Ferdinando Mori of central painting of Ariadne abandoned, and details of cupids set in medallions surrounded by garlands, from side panels.

See Real Museo Borbonico, Vol. II, 1825, Tav. LXII.

VI.8.3/5 Pompeii, c.1840. Drawing by James William Wild.

Room 15, showing south wall with central painting of Ariadne abandoned, and cupids set in medallions surrounded by garlands, in side panels.

Photo © Victoria and Albert Museum, inventory number E.3999-1938.

VI.8.3/5 Pompeii, c.1840. Drawing by James William Wild. Casa Omerica.

Room 15, medallion with cupid with thyrsus, surrounded by garlands, from side panel.

Photo © Victoria and Albert Museum, inventory number E.4026-1938.

VI.8.3/5 Pompeii, April 1882. Painting by Hector Estrup, (1854-1904), from his 1882 Sketchbook.

Room 15, medallion with cupid with box, surrounded by garlands, from side panel.

See Skitsebog Hector Estrup (1854-1904) Italiensrejse 1882, pl. 30.

© Danmarks Kunstbibliotek, inventory number 52694.

http://kunstbib.dk/en/collections/sketchbooks/sketchbooks/000036205

VI.8.3/5 Pompeii, c.1840. Drawing by James William Wild. Casa Omerica.

Room 15, medallion with cupid with box, surrounded by garlands, from side panel.

Photo © Victoria and Albert Museum, inventory number E.4028-1938.

VI.8.3/5 Pompeii, c.1840. Drawing by James William Wild. Casa Omerica.

Room 15, medallion with cupid with two sticks, surrounded by garlands, from side panel.

Photo © Victoria and Albert Museum, inventory number E.4024-1938.

VI.8.3/5 Pompeii, c.1840. Painting by James William Wild.

Room 15, detail of garlands surrounding the medallions with cupids.

Photo © Victoria and Albert Museum, inventory number E.4023-1938.

VI.8.3/5 Pompeii, c.1870’s?

Room 15, painting by Sydney Vacher showing detail of garlands surrounding the medallions with cupids.

The pencil drawing at the top has not yet been identified and may not be from this room.

Photo © Victoria and Albert Museum, inventory number E.4429-1910.

VI.8.3/5 Pompeii, c.1840. Casa Omerica. Drawing of a cupid with lyre by James William Wild perhaps from a side panel in room 15.

Photo © Victoria and Albert Museum, inventory number E.4027-1938.

According to PPM, in room 14 (which is our room 15) were at least another three medallions edged with garlands containing cupids.

(Note - These may or may not be the same ones, as they were not drawn edged with garlands, but they do come from this house.)

Two were on the west wall and at least one on the east wall, south side of doorway, these had all become unrecognisable.

The two in the side panels of the south wall had been drawn by artists, at the time.

The side panels of the north wall would seem to have contained vignettes.

See Carratelli, G. P., 1990-2003. Pompei: Pitture e Mosaici. Roma: Istituto della enciclopedia italiana, 4, (p.560-564).

VI.8.3/5 Pompeii, c.1840. Casa Omerica.

Drawing of a cupid with tambourine by James William Wild, perhaps from a side panel in room 15. (see above)

Photo © Victoria and Albert Museum, inventory number E.4022-1938.

VI.8.3/5 Pompeii, c.1840. Casa Omerica.

Drawing of a cupid with curved crook by James William Wild, perhaps from a side panel in room 15. (see above)

Photo © Victoria and Albert Museum, inventory number E.4021-1938.

Part 3      Part 4      Part 1      VI.8.3 and VI.8.5 Room Plan