VI.6.1 Pompeii. House of Pansa or Domus Cnaei Allaei Nigidi Mai.

(Insula Arriana Polliana).

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VI.6.1 Pompeii. December 2007. Drainage gutter in north-east corner of peristyle.

VI.6.1 Pompeii. April 2014. Peristyle, looking north from steps in room 6, tablinum to south portico. Photo courtesy of Klaus Heese.

VI.6.1 Pompeii. September 2004. Peristyle, looking east along the south portico.

According to Jashemski, the peristyle garden was enclosed on all four sides by an elegant portico.

This portico was supported by sixteen stuccoed columns, painted yellow below, white and fluted above.

A cistern puteal stood between the first two columns at the south end of each of the long sides of the portico.

Only the puteal on the west side (left, in photo above) is preserved.

VI.6.1 Pompeii. September 2004. Peristyle, looking north.

Found 19th August 1813 in VI.6.1 Pompeii. Bronze candelabrum with four volute branches for lamps.

Now in Naples Archaeological Museum. Inventory number 4563.

According to Pagano and Prisciandaro, an elegant bronze lamp was found in the portico of the garden.

See Prisciandaro, R., 2006. Studio sulle provenienze degli oggetti rinvenuti negli scavi borbonici del regno di Napoli. Naples: Nicola Longobardi.

(p. 109, reported 9th September 1813, PAH I, 3, 127, add. 271, and p.109, reported 23rd December 1813, PAH I, 3, 139, add. 271,72).

According to Kuivalainen, this lampstand was discovered in the portico of the peristyle together with the bronze statue of two males, H13 see below).

He comments –

“This lamp has both a religious and a practical purpose. The pictorial programme of the lamp is quite obviously dedicated to Bacchus – the child riding a panther, the mask, the bull as one of his characteristic animals, all speak for this. Choosing a child Bacchus was relatively original due to his rare appearance in visual arts in general, but it may share the idea of growth and fertility with a rhyton, a she-panther, not to omit the idea of light in the worship of Bacchus. Perhaps this lampstand was used for private worship. On the practical side, the asymmetrical placement of the pillar made more space for a vessel with oil for filling the lamps.”

See Kuivalainen, I., 2021. The Portrayal of Pompeian Bacchus. Commentationes Humanarum Litterarum 140. Helsinki: Finnish Society of Sciences and Letters, (H18, p.222).

Bronze candelabrum with four volute branches for lamps.

Found in VI.6.1 Pompeii. Now in Naples Archaeological Museum.

Bronze statuette of Dionysus mounted on his panther on the base of a candelabrum.

A small altar is in the background. Found in VI.6.1 Pompeii. Now in Naples Archaeological Museum.

Found 19th August 1813 in VI.6.1 Pompeii. Bronze group of two male statues.

According to Fiorelli in PAH –

19th August 1813 (p.123) – Yesterday Her Majesty the Queen came to the excavations, and in her presence three rooms already prepared were dug. In one of these, that is in that behind the House of Acteon, in a portico attached to the garden, they found two large kettles/boilers 1.32m diameter [di palmi 5 di diametro], and 0.44m high [alte pal. 1 2/3] leaning against the wall. In one of these, there remained placed inside, a group of two very beautiful and well-preserved figures, on a platform with silver workings.

The figure, perhaps of Bacchus was 0.66m tall [pal. 2 ½], and the other was a Satyr who was embracing him, of excellent workmanship and well preserved, he was 0.53m high [pal. 2].

See Fiorelli, PAH, (Supplementum Ex Codice Ribaviano), (p. 224-5).

According to RMB, found in 1812, found together with other objects in a large “kettle”/boiler placed in the middle of a room very near to the exit of the roadway.

The original bronze statue is now in Naples Archaeological Museum, inventory number 4995.

See Real Museo Borbonico: Vol. III, 1827, Tav. 9.

Kuivalainen describes this as being discovered in bronze kettle, in the portico of the peristyle, he also comments that the attributes of the taller figure are missing, as are all the objects possibly held by both figures.

Kuivalainen comments –

“The taller male’s countenance and pose indicate intoxication, which is why he needs support from his companion, who is looking anxiously up at him. He may also have needed a thyrsus in his right hand to keep him balanced. The composition and pose are typical of a slightly drunken Bacchus accompanied by a satyr, as identified by his ears. Such groups of Bacchus and a satyr also occur in bronze or marble.”

See Kuivalainen, I., 2021. The Portrayal of Pompeian Bacchus. Commentationes Humanarum Litterarum 140. Helsinki: Finnish Society of Sciences and Letters, (H13, p.218).

VI.6.1 Pompeii. October 2023.

Bronze and silver statue of Dionysos and a Satyr, inv. 4995. Photo courtesy of Giuseppe Ciaramella.

On display in “L’altra MANN” exhibition, October 2023, at Naples Archaeological Museum.

VI.6.1 Pompeii. October 2023.

Description card. Photo courtesy of Giuseppe Ciaramella.

Found 19th August 1813 in VI.6.1 Pompeii. Bronze group of Bacchus and a satyr.

According to Jashemski, this was found in a kettle in the portico and may have been rescued from the garden to protect it from the lapilli.

Now in Naples Archaeological Museum. Inventory number 4995.

Along with the statue was the bronze lampstand to which was attached the small statuette of Bacchus riding a leopard.

Now in Naples Archaeological Museum. Inventory number 4563.

See Jashemski, W. F., 1993. The Gardens of Pompeii, Volume II: Appendices. New York: Caratzas, p. 127 fig. 135.

VI.6.1 Pompeii. Pre-1937-39. Looking north along west side of peristyle, with gutter and puteal.

Photo courtesy of American Academy in Rome, Photographic Archive. Warsher collection no. 1392.

VI.6.1 Pompeii. December 2007. Looking north across pool in peristyle towards exedra at rear.

According to Jashemski, the large pool had plants and fishes painted on its blue walls, and a jet rising in the centre.

See Jashemski, W. F., 1993. The Gardens of Pompeii, Volume II: Appendices. New York: Caratzas. (p.127)

VI.6.1 Pompeii. Pre-1937-39. Looking north-west across pool in peristyle.

Photo courtesy of American Academy in Rome, Photographic Archive. Warsher collection no. 1391.

VI.6.1 Pompeii. September 2004. Peristyle, looking south-east from north-west corner.

VI.6.1 Pompeii. Drawing by Zahn of floor mosaic.

According to Zahn, this floor is in the courtyard by the impluvium; where the circles can be seen there are columns.

See Zahn, W., 1828. Die schönsten Ornamente und merkwürdigsten Gemälde aus Pompeji, Herkulanum und Stabiae: I. Berlin: Reimer. (pl. 87)

VI.6.1 Pompeii. 1961. Peristyle, looking south-east across pool. Photo by Stanley A. Jashemski.

Source: The Wilhelmina and Stanley A. Jashemski archive in the University of Maryland Library, Special Collections (See collection page) and made available under the Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial License v.4. See Licence and use details.

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VI.6.1 Pompeii. September 2004. Looking south across pool in peristyle, towards tablinum, atrium and entrance.

According to Jashemski, the portico was two steps above the level of the tablinum.

VI.6.1 Pompeii. 1961. Looking south across pool in peristyle, towards tablinum, atrium and entrance. Photo by Stanley A. Jashemski.

Source: The Wilhelmina and Stanley A. Jashemski archive in the University of Maryland Library, Special Collections (See collection page) and made available under the Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial License v.4. See Licence and use details.

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VI.6.1 Pompeii. December 2007. Blocked door on east wall of peristyle that used to lead to VI.6.9.

VI.6.1 Pompeii. December 2007. Room 23, looking south-east.

VI.6.1 Pompeii. December 2007. Room 23, looking east.

VI.6.1 Pompeii. December 2007.

Room 24, looking east along corridor to the south of room 23, leading to entrance at VI.6.8.

VI.6.1 Pompeii. December 2007. Room 25, on south side of peristyle.

VI.6.1 Pompeii. December 2007. Room 25, on south side of peristyle.

VI.6.1 Pompeii. December 2007. Room 25 on south side of peristyle.

VI.6.1 Pompeii. December 2007. Room 25 on south side of peristyle.

VI.6.1 Pompeii. December 2007. Looking south-east from the peristyle at Room 23 on left, Room 25 centre and room 7 on right.

VI.6.1 Pompeii. December 2007. Room 7, corridor, looking south to atrium.

VI.6.1 Pompeii. December 2007. Looking south-west across atrium towards rooms 1, 2 and 3, cubicula.

VI.6.1 Pompeii. December 2007. Atrium looking south east at rooms 8, 9, 10 and 11.

VI.6.1 Pompeii. c.1819. Drawings by William Gell from the House of Pansa.

See Gell W & Gandy, J.P: Pompeii published 1819 [Dessins publiés dans l'ouvrage de Sir William Gell et John P. Gandy, Pompeiana: the topography, edifices and ornaments of Pompei, 1817-1819], pl. 52 verso.

See book in Bibliothèque de l'Institut National d'Histoire de l'Art [France], collections Jacques Doucet Gell Dessins 1817-1819

Use Etalab Open Licence ou Etalab Licence Ouverte

Note: these were not seen/found in the House of Pansa, but as their location was not made clear, we have entered them here, rather than not use them.

They are described as found on the walls of the house, near that of Pansa, Pompeii. c.1820. Drawings of details of decorative medallions, etc.

See Gell, W. Pompeii unpublished [Dessins de l'édition de 1832 donnant le résultat des fouilles post 1819 (?)] vol II, pl. 75.

Bibliothèque de l'Institut National d'Histoire de l'Art, collections Jacques Doucet, Identifiant numérique Num MS180 (2).

See book in INHA Use Etalab Licence Ouverte

See Dessales, H. (2019). Recueils de William Gell – Pompei, publiée et inédite, 1801-1829. Paris : Hermann, p.329, pl.75, and p.412.

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