IX.2.16 Pompeii. House of Titus Dentatius Panthera or Casa di Bellerofonte

or Casa della Principessa Margherita. Linked to IX.2.15.

Excavated 1867, 1869, 1870 and 1876. Restored 1986.

Part 1     Part 2      Part 3

Vicolo di Balbo, Pompeii. March 2019. Looking east along north side towards IX.2.16, and junction with Vicolo di Tesmo, on right.

Foto Taylor Lauritsen, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.

IX.2.16 Pompeii. March 2009. Looking east to entrance, with fallen painted plaster on the pavement.

Vicolo di Balbo between IX.1 and IX.2. March 2019. Looking west along north side towards IX.2.16, from junction with Vicolo di Tesmo.

Foto Taylor Lauritsen, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.

IX.2.16 Pompeii, May 2018. Looking west along Vicolo di Balbo towards entrance doorway. Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.

IX.2.16 Pompeii. 1964. Looking west to entrance doorway. 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.

J64f1601

IX.2.16 Pompeii. Pre-1943. Looking west to entrance doorway on Vicolo di Balbo.

See Warscher, T. 1942. Catalogo illustrato degli affreschi del Museo Nazionale di Napoli. Sala LXXXII. Vol.4. Rome, Swedish Institute.

IX.2.16 Pompeii. Pre-1943. Looking towards corner with Vicolo di Balbo, on left, and Vicolo di Tesmo, on right.

See Warscher, T. 1942. Catalogo illustrato degli affreschi del Museo Nazionale di Napoli. Sala LXXXII. Vol.4. Rome, Swedish Institute.

or See Warscher, T. Codex Topographicus Pompeianus, IX.2. (1943), Swedish Institute, Rome. (no.85.)

IX.2.16 Pompeii. October 2022.

Looking west along north side of Vicolo di Balbo towards entrance doorway. Photo courtesy of Klaus Heese

IX.2.16 Pompeii. December 2007. Entrance on Vicolo di Balbo.

According to Della Corte, on the left of the principal entrance number at 16, between IX.2.15 and 16, two programmes were found confirming in his view that this was proof that the authoritative and influential (Brittius) Balbus lived here:

A(ulum)  Caprasium  et  Paquium  Proculum  II vir(os)  i(ure)  d(icundo)

Balbus  facit     [CIL IV 935h]           

Cn(aeum)  Helvium  Sabinum  aed(ilem)  Balbus  fecit     [CIL IV 935d]

On the right, a graffito with the attestation of

A(ulum)  Vettium  Caprasium

Felicem  aed(ilem)  Balbe  rogamus     [CIL IV 935i]

and the graffito epigraph on the other dado:  Q(uintum) Bruttium    [CIL IV 3159]

See Della Corte, M., 1965. Case ed Abitanti di Pompei. Napoli: Fausto Fiorentino. (p.214)

IX.2.16 Pompeii. October 2022.

Looking north through entrance doorway. Photo courtesy of Klaus Heese

IX.2.16 Pompeii. October 2022. Doorway threshold. Photo courtesy of Klaus Heese

IX.2.16 Pompeii. May 2005. Entrance on Vicolo di Balbo. 

IX.2.16 Pompeii. July 2017. Looking towards north wall of atrium from entrance doorway.

Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.

IX.2.16 Pompeii. December 2007. North wall of atrium.

The painting of Bellerophon before Proetus was found in the middle of the north wall and removed.

Now in Naples Archaeological Museum. Inventory number 115399.

IX.2.16 Pompeii. October 2022.

North wall of atrium, site of painting of Bellerophon before Proetus. Photo courtesy of Klaus Heese

IX.2.16 Pompeii. North wall of atrium.

The painting of Bellerophon before Proetus was found in the middle of the north wall.

Now in Naples Archaeological Museum. Inventory number 115399.

IX.2.16 Pompeii. April 1869. North wall of atrium.

Drawing of the painting of Bellerophon and Pegasus before Proetus.

Proetus is handing Bellerophon a sealed message to take to King Iobates, asking him to kill Bellerophon.

Stheneboea (or Antea or Anteia), the wife of Proetus, gazes at Bellerophon from behind Proetus' throne.

See Giornale degli Scavi, NS1 1869 No 7, p. 155, Tav. VII, 2.

IX.2.16 Pompeii. March 2009. North wall of atrium.

According to Bragantini, the floor was made of cocciopesto with a pattern of large white tesserae dots.

The dado of the atrium was discoloured or faded.

The middle zones of the walls were red, separated into panels by white compartments with candelabra.

The frieze was white, and the upper zone would have been red.

See Bragantini, de Vos, Badoni, 1986. Pitture e Pavimenti di Pompei, Parte 3. Rome: ICCD. (p.414, atrio ‘d’)

According to Sogliano, other paintings found on the walls of the atrium apart from Hercules and Hesione, and Bellerophon, were –

Flying cupids (2) (p.59, nos: 324 and 325)

Flying cupid, with a plate in his left hand, and something undistinguishable in his right (p.60, no.331)

See Sogliano, A., 1879. Le pitture murali campane scoverte negli anni 1867-79. Napoli: Giannini.

IX.2.16 Pompeii. Pre-1943. Looking towards north-east corner of atrium.

See Warscher, T. 1942. Catalogo illustrato degli affreschi del Museo Nazionale di Napoli. Sala LXXXII. Vol.4. Rome, Swedish Institute.

or See Warscher, T. Codex Topographicus Pompeianus, IX.2. (1943), Swedish Institute, Rome. (no.51a.).

IX.2.16 Pompeii. Pre-1943. Looking towards east wall of atrium with two doorways into exedra. Photo by Tatiana Warscher.

See Warscher, T. Codex Topographicus Pompeianus, IX.2. (1943), Swedish Institute, Rome. (no.52.), p. 120.

IX.2.16 Pompeii. December 2007. East wall of atrium.

According to Dawson, a greatly damaged painting of Hercules and Hesione was seen on the east wall of the atrium.

Hercules (but without a head) stood, with his club in his right hand resting on the ground.

His bow was in his left hand and traces of a lion-skin could be seen over his left arm.

Of Hesione, only her right forearm fettered at the wrist and part of her body, remained.

See BdI, 1867, (p.165), 1869, (p.238)

See Dawson, C.M. (1944): Romano-Campanian Landscape Painting, Yale Univ. Pr., (p.82)

On the east side of the atrium was a triclinium.

According to Sogliano, paintings found in this room were –

Hercules and Nessus (p.83, no.501)

Bellerophon (p.92, no.522)

Amazons (painting damaged to upper left corner) (p.100, no.547)

See Sogliano, A., 1879. Le pitture murali campane scoverte negli anni 1867-79. Napoli: Giannini.

According to BdI, paintings found in this room were –

North wall – Bellerophon and the amazons

East wall – Bellerophon and Stheneboea

West wall – Hercules and Nessus.

See BdI, 1871, (p.200-204)

According to Jashemski, Schefold reported a fine garden painting on the north wall under the painting of Bellerophon and the amazons, but the plaster had fallen, and no drawing had been preserved.

See Schefold, K., 1957. Die Wände Pompejis. Berlin: De Gruyter. (p.243)

See Jashemski, W. F., 1979. The Gardens of Pompeii. New York: Caratzas. (p.401).

IX.2.16 Pompeii. Pre-1943. East wall at north end of atrium, with doorway to exedra. Photo by Tatiana Warscher.

According to Warscher – the painting of Hercules and Hesione has vanished (from the east wall of atrium).

Although Warscher called this room an exedra, she makes the point that this room was spacious and was probably used as a triclinium.

The decoration was rich and exquisite of which the three new paintings were part.

See Warscher, T. Codex Topographicus Pompeianus, IX.2. (1943), Swedish Institute, Rome. (no.51.), p. 119.

IX.2.16 Pompeii. Pre-1943. North wall of exedra/triclinium. Photo by Tatiana Warscher.

According to Warscher – in the centre of the wall was the painting of the Amazons, today one can only see a trace of the standing hero.

See Warscher, T. Codex Topographicus Pompeianus, IX.2. (1943), Swedish Institute, Rome. (no.57.), p. 131.

IX.2.16 Pompeii. W.357. Bellerophon and Amazons, from the north wall of the triclinium.

Photo by Tatiana Warscher. Photo © Deutsches Archäologisches Institut, Abteilung Rom, Arkiv.

IX.2.16 Pompeii. 1871 drawing by G. Mariani of painting of Bellerophon and Amazons.

From the north wall of the triclinium.

DAIR 83.227. Photo © Deutsches Archäologisches Institut, Abteilung Rom, Arkiv.

See also http://arachne.uni-koeln.de/item/marbilder/5343127

IX.2.16 Pompeii. Pre-1943. East wall in north-east corner of exedra/triclinium. Photo by Tatiana Warscher.

According to Warscher this wall has traces of IV Style wall paintings.

On the right of the window, under a small roof, one could find the wretched remains of the painting of Bellerophon.

See Warscher, T. Codex Topographicus Pompeianus, IX.2. (1943), Swedish Institute, Rome. (no.55.), p. 125.

IX.2.16 Pompeii. Drawing by Nicola La Volpe, of painting of Bellerophon seen on east wall of triclinium.

See Sogliano, A., 1879. Le pitture murali campane scoverte negli anni 1867-79. Napoli: Giannini. (p.92, no.522).

Now in Naples Archaeological Museum. Inventory number ADS 987.

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)

IX.2.16 Pompeii. Pre-1943. Painting of Hercules and Nessus from west wall of exedra/triclinium.

Photo by Tatiana Warscher.

See Warscher, T. Codex Topographicus Pompeianus, IX.2. (1943), Swedish Institute, Rome. (no.53.), p. 122.

IX.2.16 Pompeii. Pre-1943. Detail from painting of Hercules and Nessus from west wall of exedra/triclinium.

Photo by Tatiana Warscher.

See Warscher, T. Codex Topographicus Pompeianus, IX.2. (1943), Swedish Institute, Rome. (no.54.), p. 123.

IX.2.16 Pompeii. Pre-1943. Looking north across floor. Photo by Tatiana Warscher.

According to Warscher – the floor in the centre of the room was made from slabs of coloured marble.

See Warscher, T. Codex Topographicus Pompeianus, IX.2. (1943), Swedish Institute, Rome. (no.59.), p. 135.

IX.2.16 Pompeii. Drawing by Nicola La Volpe, of two paintings – the flying cupid with plate and jug may have been seen on an atrium wall.

See Sogliano, A., 1879. Le pitture murali campane scoverte negli anni 1867-79. Napoli: Giannini. (p.60, no.331).

The other drawing is of a fragment of a figure with long dress and sandals and carrying a stick, but from which room/wall is unknown.

Now in Naples Archaeological Museum. Inventory number ADS 993.

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)

IX.2.16 Pompeii. December 2007. South-east corner of atrium.

IX.2.16 Pompeii. Pre-1943. Looking towards south-east corner of atrium.

See Warscher, T. 1942. Catalogo illustrato degli affreschi del Museo Nazionale di Napoli. Sala LXXXII. Vol.4. Rome, Swedish Institute.

IX.2.16 Pompeii. March 2009. Remains of painted plaster.

IX.2.16 Pompeii. March 2009. South-east corner of atrium. 

IX.2.16 Pompeii. March 2009. 

Small room or cupboard, leading to steps to upper floor in south-east corner of atrium.

IX.2.16 Pompeii. March 2009. South-west corner of small room with steps to upper floor.

IX.2.16 Pompeii. March 2009. Doorway to oecus in south-east corner of atrium.

IX.2.16 Pompeii. March 2009. South east corner of oecus, with windows onto Vicolo di Tesmo, and Vicolo di Balbo.

According to Bragantini, the walls of this room were painted white.

The dado was white, separated into panels.

The middle zone was white with panels separated by red compartments with candelabra.

On the south and west wall, paintings of birds could be seen.

See Bragantini, de Vos, Badoni, 1986. Pitture e Pavimenti di Pompei, Parte 3. Rome: ICCD. (p.416, oecus ‘f’)

IX.2.16 Pompeii. March 2009. East wall of oecus. 

Part 2       Part 3