I.9.1 Pompeii. Casa del Bell’ Impluvio or House of the Beautiful Impluvium

or Casa delle 6 divinità.

Linked to I.9.2. Excavated 1912 and 1952.

Part 1      Part 2      Part 3      Plan

I.9.1 Pompeii. September 2019. Insula identification plaque on upper wall. Photo courtesy of Klaus Heese.

I.9.1 Pompeii, December 2018.

Looking south-east on Via dell’Abbondanza towards doorway at the rear of the fountain. Photo courtesy of Aude Durand.

I.9.1 Pompeii, on right, with I.9.2, on left, Pompeii. October 2017. Looking south towards entrance doorways.

Foto Taylor Lauritsen, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.

I.9.1 Pompeii. October 2017.

Looking towards entrance doorway on south side of Via dell’Abbondanza.

Foto Taylor Lauritsen, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.

I.9.1. Pompeii. December 2018.

Looking south to entrance doorway. Photo courtesy of Aude Durand.

I.9.1 Pompeii. December 2005. Entrance.

According to Boyce, on both walls of the vestibule figures of six divinities had been painted.

The last refashioning of the façade destroyed two of the figures.

On the east wall were Mercury and Hercules, and a missing figure which Della Corte thought was Bacchus.

On the west wall were Minerva and Juno, and traces of a third figure which Della Corte suggested was Venus Pompeiana.

See Notizie degli Scavi di Antichità, 1913, p. 34.

See Della Corte, M., 1965. Case ed Abitanti di Pompei. Napoli: Fausto Fiorentino. (p.339).

See Boyce G. K., 1937. Corpus of the Lararia of Pompeii. Rome: MAAR 14. (p.110, no.3).

1.9.1 Pompeii. December 2018.

Looking towards east wall of the entrance vestibule. Photo courtesy of Aude Durand.

I.9.1 Pompeii. October 2017. Looking towards east side of entrance doorway.

Foto Taylor Lauritsen, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.

I.9.1 Pompeii. October 2017.

East wall of entrance vestibule, with detail of wall painting of Hercules and Mercury.

Foto Taylor Lauritsen, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.

1.9.1 Pompeii. December 2018. East wall of vestibule, with remains of wall painting of Mercury and Hercules.

Hercules stood to the left and in the right of the painting is Mercury.  Photo courtesy of Aude Durand.

1.9.1 Pompeii. December 2018. East wall of vestibule, detail of remains of wall painting of Mercury. Photo courtesy of Aude Durand.

I.9.1 Pompeii. October 2017. East wall of vestibule, with remains of wall painting of Mercury and Hercules.

Foto Taylor Lauritsen, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.

1.9.1 Pompeii. June 2012. East wall of vestibule, with remains of wall painting of Mercury and Hercules.

Hercules stood to the left and in the right of the painting is Mercury.  Photo courtesy of Michael Binns.

1.9.1 Pompeii. 1912. East wall of vestibule, with remains of wall painting of Mercury and Hercules.

According to Fröhlich, Hercules stands to the left, with his right arm outstretched.

Under the arm the front part of a pig was still just visible.

In the right of the painting is Mercury in short white tunic and cloak, winged helmet and ankles.

He is rushing to the right, his arms outstretched and holding two purses one in each hand.

In the missing left section was possibly Bacchus.

See Fröhlich, T., 1991. Lararien und Fassadenbilder in den Vesuvstädten. Mainz: von Zabern. (F6, and Photo 52,1).

According to Spinazzola this was a Triad which also included Bacchus (lost).

See Spinazzola V., 1953. Pompei alla luce degli Scavi Nuovi di Via dell’Abbondanza (anni 1910-1923): Vol. I. Roma: La Libreria della Stato, p.168-9.

I.9.1 Pompeii. December 2005. Room 1, looking south in entrance vestibule, with plaster cast of the ancient door.

I.9.1 Pompeii. October 2017. Room 1, looking towards west wall of entrance vestibule.

Foto Taylor Lauritsen, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.

I.9.1 Pompeii. October 2017. Room 1, south-west corner and west wall of entrance vestibule.

According to Fröhlich, on the west wall were the faint remains of a painting of a female figure, possibly Venus Pompeiana.

To the left of this was a painting of Juno and Minerva.

See Fröhlich, T., 1991. Lararien und Fassadenbilder in den Vesuvstädten. Mainz: von Zabern. (F6, and Photo 52,2).

Foto Taylor Lauritsen, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.

1.9.1 Pompeii. 1912. Room 1, west wall of vestibule, with remains of wall painting of Juno and Minerva.

Juno is wearing a Chiton and holding the sceptre in her left hand and a patera in the right.

Behind her stands a peacock. On the extreme left stands Minerva in a long robe with a gorgon head on the breast.

A large shield is to her left, her left hand holds the lance and her right over a round altar, sacrificing.

See Fröhlich, T., 1991. Lararien und Fassadenbilder in den Vesuvstädten. Mainz: von Zabern. (F6, and Photo 52,2).

According to Spinazzola this was a Triad which also included Venus (lost).

See Spinazzola V., 1953. Pompei alla luce degli Scavi Nuovi di Via dell’Abbondanza (anni 1910-1923): Vol. I. Roma: La Libreria della Stato, p.168-9.

I.9.1 Pompeii. March 2009. Room 1, rear of plaster cast of entrance door in fauces.

According to PPM –

the floor was of lavapesto which had a “carpet” design of white tesserae and coloured marble tiles scattered within a row of white tesserae.

I.9.1 Pompeii. August 2021. Room 2, looking south across impluvium in atrium towards tablinum. Photo courtesy of Robert Hanson.

I.9.1 Pompeii. October 2019. Room 2, looking south across impluvium in atrium.

Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.

1.9.1 Pompeii. April 2013. Room 2, looking south across atrium. Photo courtesy of Klaus Heese.

1.9.1 Pompeii. June 2012. Room 2, atrium. Photo courtesy of Michael Binns.

I.9.1 Pompeii. May 2017. Room 2, looking south across impluvium in atrium. Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.

I.9.1 Pompeii. March 2009. Room 2, looking south across impluvium in atrium.

I.9.1 Pompeii. December 2007. Room 2, atrium. The atrium floor was of lavapesto with dots of white tesserae.

I.9.1 Pompeii. April 1998. Room 2, atrium and impluvium. Work is in progress on the surrounding mosaic.

A marble fluted puteal is in place at the north end of the impluvium but the terracotta grondaia is not present at the south end.

Photo courtesy of Rob Rietberg.

I.9.1 Pompeii. December 2018.

Room 2, looking south across impluvium in atrium towards tablinum. Photo courtesy of Aude Durand.

I.9.1 Pompeii. November 2016.

Room 2, looking south across impluvium in atrium. Photo courtesy of Marie Schulze.

I.9.1 Pompeii. July 2011.

Room 2, atrium. Looking south across impluvium towards tablinum. Photo courtesy of Rick Bauer.

I.9.1 Pompeii. October 2019. Room 2, looking south across beautiful mosaic and marble impluvium in the atrium.

Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.

I.9.1 Pompeii. October 2019. Room 2, looking south-east across impluvium in atrium.

Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.

I.9.1 Pompeii. October 2019. Room 2, looking north-east across impluvium in atrium.

Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.

I.9.1 Pompeii. October 2019. Room 2, looking north across impluvium in atrium towards cistern-mouth at north end.

Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.

I.9.1 Pompeii. October 2019. Room 2, looking north across impluvium.

Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.

I.9.1 Pompeii. October 2019. Room 2, detail of “floor” of impluvium.

Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.

The impluvium’s background was of black mosaic with dots of white tesserae, tiles and flakes of polychrome marble, the walls and inner edge were of white marble with a rounded edge-strip.

I.9.1 Pompeii. March 2009. Room 2, beautiful mosaic and marble impluvium in the atrium.

I.9.1 Pompeii. March 2009. Room 2, atrium, external border showing beautiful mosaic and marble impluvium.

The external border featured a black and white mosaic “braid” between two bands of black squares set in a white mosaic.

I.9.1 Pompeii. December 2007. Room 2, atrium. Marble and mosaic impluvium.

I.9.1 Pompeii. October 2019. Room 2, terracotta grondaia or waterspout.

Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.

I.9.1 Pompeii. October 2019. Room 2, detail of terracotta grondaia or waterspout.

Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.

I.9.1 Pompeii. May 2017. Room 2, atrium. Terracotta grondaia or waterspout. Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.

I.9.1 Pompeii. December 2007. Room 2, atrium. Terracotta grondaia or waterspout.

I.9.1 Pompeii. March 2009. Room 2, atrium. Grondaia or Antefisse fittili or waterspout from compluvium.

I.9.1 Pompeii. March 2009. Room 3, doorway from atrium.

I.9.1 Pompeii. March 2009. Room 3, window in north wall looking out onto Via dell’Abbondanza.

I.9.1 Pompeii. March 2009. Room 3, south wall with window and door to atrium.

I.9.1 Pompeii. March 2009. Room 12, doorway from atrium.

I.9.1 Pompeii. March 2009. Room 12, east wall.

I.9.1 Pompeii. 1975. Room 12, House of the Beautiful Impluvium, last room left, back E wall. Photo courtesy of Anne Laidlaw.

American Academy in Rome, Photographic Archive. Laidlaw collection _P_75_5_13.

I.9.1 Pompeii. March 2009. Room 12, east wall.

I.9.1 Pompeii. 1975. Room 12, House of the Beautiful Impluvium, last room left, back E wall. 

Photo courtesy of Anne Laidlaw.

American Academy in Rome, Photographic Archive. Laidlaw collection _P_75_5_14.

I.9.1 Pompeii. 1975.

Room 12, House of the Beautiful Impluvium, last room left, E wall by SE corner, general view, detail of orthostat and bottom of narrow one.

Photo courtesy of Anne Laidlaw.

American Academy in Rome, Photographic Archive. Laidlaw collection _P_75_5_15.

I.9.1 Pompeii. 1975.

Room 12, House of the Beautiful Impluvium, last room left, E wall by SE corner, general view, detail of orthostat and bottom of narrow one.

Photo courtesy of Anne Laidlaw.

American Academy in Rome, Photographic Archive. Laidlaw collection _P_75_5_16.

Part 2      Part 3      Plan