VIII.4.15 Pompeii. Domus Cornelia or House of Cornelius Rufus.

Linked to VIII.4.14, VIII.4.16, VIII.4.22, VIII.4.23 and VIII.4.30.

Excavated 1855, 1861 and 1893. (Strada d’Olconio 15).

Part 1      Part 2      Part 3      Part 4      Part 5      Part 6      Part 7      Plan

VIII.4.15 Pompeii. December 2018.

Looking south on Via dell’Abbondanza towards entrance doorway, in centre. Photo courtesy of Aude Durand.

VIII.4.15 Pompeii, on right. September 2021.

Looking south to entrance on Via dell’Abbondanza, with VIII.4.16, on left. Photo courtesy of Klaus Heese.

VIII.4.15 Pompeii.  December 2004.  Entrance.

In September 1853, found on the pilaster, between VIII.4.15 and 14, on the right, painted in red and black, were:

M(arcum)  Holconium  Priscum

II vir(um)  d(ignum)  r(ei)  p(ublicae)  o(ro)  v(os)  f(aciatis)   [CIL IV 745]

L(ucium)  C(eium)  Secundum  Ii vir(um)  i(ure)  d(icundo)  o(ro)  v(os)  f(aciatis)   [CIL IV 746]

Painted in red, was:

C(aium)  C(alventium)  S(ittium)  M(agnum)

Fuscus  rog(at)   [CIL IV 747]

See Pagano, M. and Prisciandaro, R., 2006. Studio sulle provenienze degli oggetti rinvenuti negli scavi borbonici del regno di Napoli. Naples: Nicola Longobardi. (p.170)

According to Fiorelli the above CIL IV 746 was readable as:

L  . C .  SECVNDVM

II . VIR . I.  D. O. V. F.  VER  ET  ADIUTOR

                                             ROGANT

See Pappalardo, U., 2001. La Descrizione di Pompei per Giuseppe Fiorelli (1875). Napoli: Massa Editore. (P.129)

VIII.4.15 Pompeii. March 2009. Entrance on Via dell’Abbondanza.

VIII.4.15 Pompeii. April 2019.

Looking south across atrium from entrance doorway/corridor. Photo courtesy of Rick Bauer.

VIII.4.15 Pompeii December 2018. Looking south from entrance corridor. Photo courtesy of Aude Durand.

VIII.4.15 Pompeii. April 2014. Looking south across atrium from entrance doorway/corridor. Photo courtesy of Klaus Heese.

VIII.4.15 Pompeii. March 2009. Room 1, atrium. Looking south through entrance fauces.

VIII.4.15 Pompeii. March 2009. Room 1, looking north to entrance fauces and east wall.

VIII.4.15 Pompeii. March 2009. Upper section of remains of plaster on east wall of entrance fauces.

VIII.4.15 Pompeii. March 2009. Entrance fauces remains of decorated floor.

VIII.4.15 Pompeii. March 2009. Entrance fauces floor and white marble door fitting.

VIII.4.15 Pompeii. March 2009. White marble door fitting, in floor of entrance fauces.

VIII.4.15 Pompeii. December 2023. Description card. Photo courtesy of Miriam Colomer.

VIII.4.15 Pompeii. December 2018.

Looking south-east across impluvium in atrium, towards tablinum. Photo courtesy of Aude Durand.

VIII.4.15 Pompeii. December 2023. Looking south-west across impluvium in atrium from east side. Photo courtesy of Miriam Colomer.

VIII.4.15 Pompeii. September 2021. Looking south-west across impluvium in atrium from east side. Photo courtesy of Klaus Heese.

VIII.4.15 Pompeii December 2018.

Looking south-west across impluvium in atrium, towards tablinum and through to peristyle. Photo courtesy of Aude Durand.

VIII.4.15 Pompeii December 2018. Looking towards rooms on west side of atrium. Photo courtesy of Aude Durand.

VIII.4.15 Pompeii. September 2021. Room 1, atrium with impluvium. Looking south. Photo courtesy of Klaus Heese.

VIII.4.15 Pompeii. March 2009. Room 1, atrium with impluvium. Looking south.

VIII.4.15 Pompeii. March 2009. Room 1, impluvium in atrium. Looking south-east.

VIII.4.15 Pompeii. September 2005. Impluvium.

VIII.4.15 Pompeii. March 2009. Room 1, atrium. Corner of impluvium, with remains of mosaic, in south-west corner.

Note the beautiful mosaic edge to the impluvium shown in the old photos in Part 3.

VIII.4.15 Pompeii. March 2009. Room 1, impluvium in atrium. Looking east across the south side.

According to Jashemski, this house was one of many which, after the introduction of the aqueduct, had a fountain in the atrium.

Between the two table supports that stood at the edge of the impluvium there was a round opening which contained the bronze key.

This controlled the jet in the middle of the impluvium.

See Jashemski, W. F., 1993. The Gardens of Pompeii, Volume II: Appendices. New York: Caratzas. (p.213)

VIII.4.15 Pompeii. March 2009. Room 1, impluvium in atrium.

VIII.4.15 Pompeii. c.1930. Looking west across impluvium in atrium.

See Blake, M., (1930). The pavements of the Roman Buildings of the Republic and Early Empire. Rome, MAAR, 8, (p.12, ftn 7, 106, & PL. 31, tav 1).

VIII.4.15 Pompeii. 1966. Room 1, impluvium with table supports in situ. 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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VIII.4.15 Pompeii. September 1913. Watercolour by Luigi Bazzani, looking across impluvium in room 1, the atrium.

Now in Naples Archaeological Museum, inv. no. 139441

See Davvero! La Pompei di fine '800 nella Pittura di Luigi Bazzani: a cura di Daniela Scagliarini, Antonella Coralini, Riccardo Helg, 2014, p. 78.

VIII.4.15 Pompeii. Between 1891 and 1895.

Painting by Johannes Magdahl Nielsen (1862-1941) showing detail of impluvium surround in Room 1, atrium.

See Johannes Magdahl Nielsen (1862-1941), Rejseskitser, Tyskland, Italien, skitsebog fra 1891 og 1895, pl. 39.

Photo © Danmarks Kunstbibliotek, inventory number 53802. Download sketchbook

VIII.4.15 Pompeii. Postcard with drawing of four people dated 3rd April 1899.

The message in Danish under the drawing appears to say When will you come? They waited long in the sun.

Photo courtesy of Rick Bauer.

Front of 1899 postcard. It is addressed to J. Filseth, Redaktor, in Rome.

This could be Johan Filseth (born 25 September 1862 in Romedal, Norway, died 5 September 1927 in Denmark).

Filseth was the founder, in 1894, and long-time editor of the newspaper Gudbrandsdølen in Lillehammer.

He was connected to Denmark through his wife, a Danish woman, Laura Anna Emilie Krabbe (1879-1969) who he married in 1900.

Photo courtesy of Rick Bauer.

Note on the side of the front of the 1899 postcard which appears to identify the people in the drawing.

The phrase on the left-hand side of the address side “Billedhugger Gyde Petersen og Frue” translates as “The sculptor Gyde Petersen and wife”.

Hans Gyde-Petersen was baptised 26^th December 1862 as Hans Gyde Pedersen but later changed his name to Hans Gyde-Petersen.

His sculpture won him a grant to study in Italy from 1897 to 1899.

During these years in Italy, he turned his back on a promising career as a sculptor and returned to his first love of landscape painting.

He was part of the Skagen artists group on the northern tip of Denmark.

He was knighted by the Danish King in 1910.

He died in Denmark in 1943.

Underneath is what looks like: "Maleren Viggo Langer og Frue” (the painter Viggo Langer and wife).

Viggo Langer was a Danish artist.

Born Viggo Hansen on Nov. 11th 1860 in Reudnitz (by Leipzig, Germany), died Oct.11 1942 in Rungsted, Denmark.

His father was Danish and moved the family back to Copenhagen in 1864.

He adopted his mother's family name Langer in 1885 to avoid confusion with another painter, an artist known as Viggo Hansen.

At auction on October 2, 1998 was a signed painting of his titled “Aftenstemning ved Pompeij (Evening scene in Pompeii)” on which are the words "Pompeij 1899", which would seem to confirm his presence at the time of this postcard.

Who drew the sketch is not known but possibly it was another Danish artist who was in Italy in 1899?

VIII.4.15 Pompeii. From an Album dated 1882. Room 1, atrium. Photo courtesy of Rick Bauer.

VIII.4.15 Pompeii.

From an album of Michele Amodio dated 1874, entitled “Pompei, destroyed on 23 November 79, discovered in 1745”.

Room 1, looking south across impluvium in atrium. Photo courtesy of Rick Bauer.

VIII.4.15 Pompeii. From a coloured album by M. Amodio, dated c.1880.

Room 1, atrium, looking south-east across impluvium, towards east wall of tablinum. Photo courtesy of Rick Bauer.

VIII.4.15 Pompeii. From an album by Roberto Rive, dated 1868. Looking south-east across atrium. Photo courtesy of Rick Bauer.

VIII.4.15 Pompeii. 1966.

One of the table supports and circular opening. 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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VIII.4.15 Pompeii. 1966.

Detail of the intricate carving of a table support. 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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VIII.4.15 Pompeii. 1957. Table supports on south side of impluvium in atrium. 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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VIII.4.15 Pompeii. c.1933.

Side of table support on south side of impluvium in atrium. Photo courtesy of Rick Bauer.

VIII.4.15 Pompeii. From an album dated c.1875-1885. Room 1, south side of impluvium in atrium. Photo courtesy of Rick Bauer.

VIII.4.15 Pompeii. Supports of marble table or cartibulum. Bust and herm of C Cornelio Rufo are in background.

Undated photograph. Courtesy of Society of Antiquaries. Fox Collection.

VIII.4.15 Pompeii. December 2007. Supports of marble table or cartibulum. Now in Naples Archaeological Museum.

VIII.4.15 Pompeii. December 2007. Griffins on supports for a marble table or cartibulum. Now in Naples Archaeological Museum.

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