VIII.3.14 Pompeii. Casa della Regina Carolina or House of Queen Caroline.

Excavated 1809, 1812, 1818, 1826 and 1839. Restoration 2015/16.

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According to Gell -

“In the year 1813, Queen Caroline instituted an excavation in the street which runs from the south-east angle of the Forum towards the theatre.

On removing the new soil, about eighteen inches in thickness, a skeleton was discovered, scarcely covered with the volcanic matter, being ten feet above the ancient pavement.

This individual had secured 860 silver, 42 bronze, and 8 small imperial gold coins, which were found with the skeleton, wrapped in a cloth.

The pictures represented in the following plates (from the left ala) are from this excavation; but the frequent wettings they have undergone, to freshen the colours for the observation of the curious, have loosened great part of the fresco from the wall, until few traces remain for future revival.”

See Gell, W. and Gandy, J., 1852. Pompeiana: Third Edition. London: Bohn. (p.139).

According to CTP –

“For political reasons, after the fall of Joachim Murat and the restoration of the Bourbons, the name of this house, given in honour of Carolina Murat, was changed to the Casa di Adone”,

See Van der Poel, H. B., 1983. Corpus Topographicum Pompeianum, Part II. Austin: University of Texas. (Note 10 on p.301).

Quoting W. Gell, Pompeiana 1, London 1832, p.6, and Breton, 1870, p.496.

VIII.3.14 Pompeii. Entrance doorway at top, including (lower) VIII.3.16, 17 and 18.

Note on painting: Pompéi, maisons derrière le Forum, du côté des théâtres.

See Lesueur, Jean-Baptiste Ciceron. Voyage en Italie de Jean-Baptiste Ciceron Lesueur (1794-1883), pl. 7.

See Book on INHA reference INHA NUM PC 15469 (04)  « Licence Ouverte / Open Licence » Etalab

VIII.3.14 and VII.3.15 Pompeii. Mai 1823?

Undated cross sections and plan of the two houses, linked at the time, and only partly excavated. 

The INHA web site records:

Annotations par Chenavard : "coupe", "bassin", "ch. Jaune", "bassin".

Dans la partie supérieure du feuillet, coupe nord-sud sur l'atrium de la Casa della Regina Carolina.

Au-dessous, coupe du stibadium dans le jardin.

A droite, profil de la moulure de l'impluvium de marbre.

Dans la partie inférieure du feuillet, plan de la même maison.

Le document semble reproduit.

Signé : monogramme

See Chenavard, Antoine-Marie (1787-1883) et al. Voyage d'Italie, croquis Tome 3, pl. 94.

INHA Identifiant numérique : NUM MS 703 (3). See Book on INHA

Document placé sous « Licence Ouverte / Open Licence » Etalab   

VIII.3.14 Pompeii. May 2016. Looking west to entrance doorway. Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.

VIII.3.14 Pompeii. May 2016. Step to entrance doorway. Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.

VIII.3.14 Pompeii. September 2005. Looking west towards entrance doorway and south wall of fauces/corridor.

VIII.3.14 Pompeii. May 2016. Looking east along entrance fauces towards entrance doorway. Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.

VIII.3.14 Pompeii. October 2020.

Looking west along entrance fauces to atrium, and across to tablinum. Photo courtesy of Klaus Heese.

VIII.3.14 Pompeii. May 2005. Looking west along entrance fauces to atrium, and across to tablinum.

VIII.3.14 Pompeii. October 2020.

Looking towards north side of entrance corridor, and atrium. Photo courtesy of Klaus Heese.

VIII.3.14 Pompeii. October 2020.

Looking west across south side of atrium. Photo courtesy of Klaus Heese.

VIII.3.14 Pompeii. May 2016. Looking west across atrium. Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.

VIII.3.14 Pompeii. C. 1806. Painting by F. Morelli of a wall in the atrium/short wall of the peristyle.

On the left is a pygmy hunting a lion. On the right is a pygmy painter, Helbig 1537.

See Carratelli, G. P., 1990-2003. Pompei: Pitture e Mosaici: vol. VIII.  Roma: Istituto della enciclopedia italiana, p. 398.

See Helbig, W., 1868. Wandgemälde der vom Vesuv verschütteten Städte Campaniens. Leipzig: Breitkopf und Härtel, 1537.

Now in Naples Archaeological Museum. Inventory number ADS 820.

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)

VIII.3.14 Pompeii. Not dated but pre-1828. Drawings by Zahn of fragments of paintings, taken from various walls in Pompeii.

The central lower drawing is of a wall in the atrium/short wall of the peristyle showing the predella with the pygmy painter, as painted by Morelli, above.

See Zahn, W., 1828-29. Die schönsten Ornamente und merkwürdigsten Gemälde aus Pompeji, Herkulanum und Stabiae: I. Berlin: Reimer, taf. 86.

VIII.3.14 Pompeii. C. 1806. Painting by F. Morelli of a wall in the atrium.

On the left are pygmies in a fullonica. On the right are pygmies as gladiators fighting lions.

See Carratelli, G. P., 1990-2003. Pompei: Pitture e Mosaici: vol. VIII.  Roma: Istituto della enciclopedia italiana, p. 399.

Now in Naples Archaeological Museum. Inventory number ADS 822.

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)

VIII.3.14 Pompeii. September 2005. Looking west across atrium towards tablinum.

According to Fiorelli, the roof of the atrium was held up by the pilasters, between which was a pluteus (wall) enclosing the impluvium in the centre.

Eschebach counted 11 pilasters.

See Pappalardo, U., 2001. La Descrizione di Pompei per Giuseppe Fiorelli (1875). Napoli: Massa Editore. (p.124)

See Eschebach, L., 1993. Gebäudeverzeichnis und Stadtplan der antiken Stadt Pompeji. Köln: Böhlau. (p.365)

VIII.3.14 Pompeii. May 2016. Impluvium in atrium, after restoration. Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.

VIII.3.14 Pompeii. September 2005. Impluvium in atrium.

VIII.3.14 Pompeii. May 2016. Impluvium in atrium. Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.

VIII.3.14 Pompeii. May 2016. Detail of impluvium. Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.

VIII.3.14 Pompeii. May 2016. Detail of impluvium in atrium. Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.

VIII.3.14 Pompeii. May 2016. Steps to upper floor. Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.

According to Fiorelli –

“………..on the opposite side of the atrium were the steps to the upper floor, followed by a storeroom, made smaller in later times, a spacious cubiculum and an ala.  In this room, two paintings were seen, now destroyed: the one representing two deities of light, that is a young man with a nimbus having a star on his head, clutching two rods, next to a woman with a diadem and holding a sceptre, between them was a Cupid: the other Perseus and Andromeda.

The heads (medallions?) of Pan and Bacchus remain around the walls, and that of a woman with a large fan in the form of a sheet.

See Pappalardo, U., 2001. La Descrizione di Pompei per Giuseppe Fiorelli (1875). Napoli: Massa Editore. (p.124)

VIII.3.14 Pompeii. September 2005. Steps to upper floor in south-east corner of atrium.

On the extreme left is the doorway to the kitchen, latrine and small storeroom.

VIII.3.14 Pompeii. May 2016. Doorway threshold to kitchen area. Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.

VIII.3.14 Pompeii. May 2016. Looking east into kitchen area. Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.

VIII.3.14 Pompeii. May 2016.

North wall of kitchen area, with holes for support beams of the upper floor. Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.

VIII.3.14 Pompeii. May 2016. Niche in north wall of kitchen area. Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.

VIII.3.14 Pompeii. September 2005. North wall of kitchen with niche.

According to Boyce, in the north wall was an arched niche.

Its floor was a projecting tile, its walls were coated with white stucco outlined with red stripes.

See Boyce G. K., 1937. Corpus of the Lararia of Pompeii. Rome: MAAR 14. (p.75, no.353)

VIII.3.14 Pompeii. May 2016. North-east corner of kitchen area. Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.

VIII.3.14 Pompeii. May 2016. Looking south in kitchen area towards small room/storeroom and latrine. Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.

VIII.3.14 Pompeii. September 2005. Looking south in kitchen towards small storeroom. The latrine is on the extreme right of the photo.

VIII.3.14 Pompeii. May 2016. Small storeroom in kitchen area. Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.

VIII.3.14 Pompeii. May 2016. Latrine, on right. Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.

VIII.3.14 Pompeii. May 2016. Looking towards rooms on south side of atrium.

The oecus can be seen on the left of centre, the ala towards the right.  Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.

VIII.3.14 Pompeii. September 2005. Looking west across south side of atrium.

On the left would be the oecus, with connecting doorway into the ala, and then doorway to triclinium, ahead.

According to Helbig, in the left ala would have been paintings of uncertain local deities (no.965),

Busts (nos.557 and 1421f) and a wall painting of Perseus and Andromeda (no.1191)

See Helbig, W., 1868. Wandgemälde der vom Vesuv verschütteten Städte Campaniens. Leipzig: Breitkopf und Härtel. (nos.965, 557, 1421f and 1191)

VIII.3.14 Pompeii. September 2005. Looking south in oecus.

VIII.3.14 Pompeii. May 2016. Looking south in ala, on south side of atrium.

The connecting doorway into the oecus can be seen in the wall on the left, the east wall. Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.

VIII.3.14 Pompeii. May 2016. South wall of ala. Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.

VIII.3.14 Pompeii. Left Ala, south wall. 1819 drawing of painting of deities found here.

According to Gell, a male figure, whose head is surrounded with rays, reclines upon a seat.

Before him appears a female, bearing a wand and purple peplum.

Between them is Hymen, whose head is encircled with a wreath.

He has a torch in one hand, in the other a branch of palm.

It would be difficult to say precisely what persons the painter has here intended to represent.

The palm branch is possibly symbolic of the victory of Cupid over the goddess of chastity.

See Gell W. and Gandy J., 1817-19. Pompeiana. London: Rodwell and Martin, p. 193-4, pl. XLI.

See Schefold, K., 1957. Die Wände Pompejis. Berlin: De Gruyter. p. 221.

See Helbig, W., 1868. Wandgemälde der vom Vesuv verschütteten Städte Campaniens. Leipzig: Breitkopf und Härtel. (no. 965)

VIII.3.14 Pompeii. c.1819 painting by W. Gell of deities seen on the south wall of the left ala.

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. 75.

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

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VIII.3.14 Pompeii. May 2016.

Zoccolo on lower part of south wall of ala, with remains of painted decoration. Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.

VIII.3.14 Pompeii. Wall in left Ala. 1875 drawing of painting of Perseus and Andromeda.

According to Gell, this, without doubt, represents Perseus, after having liberated Andromeda, and petrified the sea-monster, to which she had been exposed.

The wings upon his head and feet;

The head of the Gorgon Medusa, held behind him, lest by its view the beholder should be turned to stone;

The harpe, or two-pointed, scythe-like, adamantine sword, he received from Vulcan;

All clearly point out the son of Jupiter and Danae.

Andromeda wears a pink or white tunic, with a blue peplum.

See Gell W and Gandy J, 1875. Pompeiana. London: Chatto and Windus. p. 105, pl. 43.

See Schefold, K., 1957. Die Wände Pompejis. Berlin: De Gruyter. p. 221.

See Helbig, W., 1868. Wandgemälde der vom Vesuv verschütteten Städte Campaniens. Leipzig: Breitkopf und Härtel. (no.1191).

VIII.3.14 Pompeii. c.1819 painting by W. Gell of Perseus and Andromeda, from a wall in the left ala.

The note on the painting says: in scavi della Regina Carolina.

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. 74.

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

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VIII.3.14 Pompeii. Nineteenth-century painting of architectural scene on “long side” in left Ala.

According to PPM, this painting, which was traditionally recognized as a wall from VIII.2.39 must now be identified as a wall (either east or west) of the ala of VIII.3.14.
According to Eristov this is from the north wall.

See Eristov, H., 1993, in Functional and Spatial Analysis of Wall painting. Leiden, pp. 189-192.

According to Ornati, the decoration was from one of the side walls (east or west) as is apparent, in addition to the observation of the remains in situ, from the caption attached to the table in Ornati that specified that it was the 'long side' the room.

On the base are paintings of vessels, two elephants, and sea animals.

In the predella are hunt scenes and cupids driving chariots.

In the centre is a painting of Hercules after the victory over Achelous for the hand of Deianira.

Right is a medallion of a faun and bacchante.

Left is a medallion of two lovely followers of the gods of harvest.

See Carratelli, G. P., 1990-2003. Pompei: Pitture e Mosaici: Vol. VIII.  Roma: Istituto della enciclopedia italiana, p. 402.

See Gli ornati delle pareti ed i pavimenti delle stanze dell'antica Pompei incisi in rame: 1808, tav. 51 or 1838, tav. 8.

See Helbig, W., 1868. Wandgemälde der vom Vesuv verschütteten Städte Campaniens. Leipzig: Breitkopf und Härtel, 1521, 1522, 789, 1150, 1191, 557, 1421.

See D’Amelio P., 1888. Dipinti murali scelti di Pompei. Napoli: Richter, tav. IX.

VIII.3.14 Pompeii. Painting dated 1805 by G. Chiantarelli of architectural scene on “long side” in left Ala.

According to Eristov this is from the north wall.

The wall system that can be guessed on the back wall (north) corresponds, with a few variations, to that given in the engravings; it differs by the absence of escapement (the wall is shorter) and a hanging double festoon above the lateral fields.

« Le système pariétal que l'on devine sur le mur du fond (nord) correspond, à quelques variantes près, à celui que donnent les gravures; il en diffère par l'absence d'échappées (le mur est moins long)  et par une tenture à double feston au-dessus des champs latéraux. »

According to Ornati, it is a very valuable wall from the Casa del Cortile tetrastilo di Pompei.

It is however the example used for comparison of the north wall of VIII.3.14 by Eristov in fig. 7.

See Gli ornati delle pareti ed i pavimenti delle stanze dell'antica Pompei incisi in rame: 1808, tav. 51 or 1838, indice 8, tav. 8.

See Eristov, H., 1993, in Functional and Spatial Analysis of Wall painting. Leiden, pp. 189-192, figs. 6-7.

VIII.3.14 or VI.9.6 Pompeii. Painting of wall by V. Loria titled House of Castor and Pollux.

See D’Amelio P., 1888. Dipinti murali scelti di Pompei. Napoli: Richter, Tav. IX.

VIII.3.14, Pompeii. c.1819 painting by W. Gell showing part of painted decoration at the side of the central panel.

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. 73.

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

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VIII.3.14 Pompeii. September 2005. Looking west across atrium towards tablinum/exedra.

VIII.3.14 Pompeii. September 2005. Looking west from atrium to doorway to triclinium, on left.

According to Fiorelli –

“In the corner of the triclinium, the remains of the beginning of a stairway, which in the previous era communicated between this house and the one next-door, can be seen.”

See Pappalardo, U., 2001. La Descrizione di Pompei per Giuseppe Fiorelli (1875). Napoli: Massa Editore. (p.124)

VIII.3.14 Pompeii. May 2016. Threshold of doorway leading into triclinium. Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.

VIII.3.14 Pompeii. September 2005. Threshold or sill of doorway to triclinium.

VIII.3.14 Pompeii. May 2016. Looking through doorway into triclinium. Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.

VIII.3.14 Pompeii. September 2005. Looking north-west across atrium.

VIII.3.14 Pompeii. May 2016.

Looking towards west and north walls of tablinum/exedra on west side of atrium. Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.

VIII.3.14 Pompeii. September 2005. Looking west into tablinum/exedra.

VIII.3.14 Pompeii. May 2016.

North wall of tablinum/exedra, on left, and doorway to cubiculum, centre right. Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.

According to Fiorelli –

“The tablinum was located facing the entrance doorway, between the triclinium - which contained the remains of the beginning of a staircase, which in the previous era communicated between this house and the one next-door, and a windowed cubiculum with its decorations more intact, but devoid of the paintings which had adorned it, two of which were located into the Naples Museum.”

See Pappalardo, U., 2001. La Descrizione di Pompei per Giuseppe Fiorelli (1875). Napoli: Massa Editore. (p.124)

Part 2