Title: The Splendor of Roman Wall Painting Author(s): Umberto Pappalardo Publisher: J. Paul Getty Museum Publication Date: 2009 ISBN: 0892369582 ISBN-13: 9780892369584 Current Price and More Info from Amazon

From the Bryn Mawr Classic Review:
Since the discoveries of Pompeii and Herculaneum in the mid-18th century, Roman wall paintings have been the source of fascination among scholars and the general public alike. Ancient Roman frescoes are found in a tremendous variety of settings in nearly every ancient province. In this volume1 Umberto Pappalardo, like so many authors before him, has nevertheless chosen to rule out examples of wall painting from the Greek East, North Africa, or Europe north of the Alps, to focus on familiar territory: Pompeii, Herculaneum, and Rome. With only two exceptions (the Palaestra and Collegium of the Augustales at Herculaneum2), domestic ensembles of wall painting from urban domus and suburban villas comprise the catalogue of this book.3 After a brief introduction to the social history of Roman domestic wall paintings and their content, Pappalardo illustrates 28 of the best-known examples of the genre. The final section of the volume, written by Ludovica Bucci de Santis, addresses spatial reconstructions of (mostly) architectural landscapes in Roman wall painting.

Read the full review at the Bryn Mawr Classic Review web site.

Additional Description:
Visitors to the former residences of wealthy ancient Romans cannot help but be astonished by their grand architecture and enchanting wall paintings, still vibrant with cinnabar reds, golden yellows, and deep greens. The beauty and intricacy of these ancient frescoes are showcased in the sumptuous volume Domus: Wall Painting in the Roman House, published by the J. Paul Getty Museum in 2004 and now available in this abridged and affordable edition.
Following an introduction to the Roman domestic ideal that inspired these wall decorations and a discussion of the evolution in painting styles, the author conducts a tour of twenty-eight houses in Pompeii, Herculaneum, Oplontis, and the city of Rome. Here are painted scenes--rich with fabulous details of illusionistic architecture, lush gardens, exotic animals, and erotic adventures--impressive in their display of technical mastery and enduring in their visual impact.

Special Notes:
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