IX.7.16 Pompeii. House of A. Virnius Modestus or Casa del Cavallo Troiano.

Partly excavated in 1867, 1880.

IX.7.16 Pompeii, on left. September 2004.              Vicolo di Tesmo looking south.                                   IX.1, on right.

IX.7.17 Pompeii right of fountain, then IX.7.16 and IX.7.15, on right. December 2018.

Looking south along east side of Vicolo di Tesmo. Photo courtesy of Aude Durand.

IX.7.17 Pompeii, on left, IX.7.16, in centre, together with IX.7.15, on right. Looking south along east side of Vicolo di Tesmo, 1972.

DAIR 72.3583. Photo © Deutsches Archäologisches Institut, Abteilung Rom, Arkiv.

IX.7.16 Pompeii. March 2018. Looking south towards entrance doorway on east side of Vicolo di Tesmo.

Foto Taylor Lauritsen, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.

IX.7.16 Pompeii. September 2019. Looking south to entrance doorway.

Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.

IX.7.16 Pompeii. March 2018. Looking north towards entrance doorway.

Foto Taylor Lauritsen, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.

IX.7.16 Pompeii. July 2017. Looking north to entrance doorway on east side of Vicolo di Tesmo.

Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.

IX.7.16 Pompeii. September 2019. Looking north along front façade.

Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.

IX.7.16 Pompeii. September 2019. Entrance doorway, looking north.

Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.

IX.7.16 Pompeii. March 2018. Entrance doorway, looking north.

Foto Taylor Lauritsen, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.

IX.7.16 Pompeii. December 2007. Entrance, looking north.

According to Della Corte, found in this partly excavated house, only excavated as far as the atrium, was a terracotta pitcher (urceo).

Graffito painted on the container of the best fish sauce, sent from Umbricius Agathopus, was addressed to A. Virnio Modesto   [CIL IV 5712]

See Della Corte, M., 1965. Case ed Abitanti di Pompei. Napoli: Fausto Fiorentino. (p.212) 

According to Cooley, the graffito was painted on a fish sauce container which was found in the kitchen.

CIL IV 5712 she translates as “Best essence, to Aulus Virnius Modestus from Agathopus”

See Cooley, A. and M.G.L., 2004. Pompeii: A Sourcebook. London: Routledge. (p.166, H27)

According to Epigraphik-Datenbank Clauss/Slaby (See www.manfredclauss.de), CIL IV 5712 read as –

Liquamen

Optimum

A(ulo) Virnio Modesto

ab Agathopode    [CIL IV 5712]

IX.7.16 Pompeii. May 2018.

Entrance doorway, after renovation and stabilization, on east side of Vicolo di Tesmo. Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.

IX.7.16 Pompeii. May 2018. Detail of top of doorway after renovation. Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.

IX.7.16 Pompeii. July 2017. Detail of top of doorway.

Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.

IX.7.16 Pompeii. July 2017. Detail from north side of entrance doorway.

Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.

IX.7.16 Pompeii. July 2017. Square capital at top of north side of doorway.

Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.

IX.7.16 Pompeii. July 2017. Looking towards upper north side of entrance doorway.

Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.

IX.7.16 Pompeii. July 2017. Detail from south side of entrance doorway.

Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.

IX.7.16 Pompeii. July 2017. Square capital at top of south side of doorway.

Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.

IX.7.16 Pompeii. July 2017. Looking towards upper south side of entrance doorway.

Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.

IX.7.16 Pompeii. May 2024.

Looking towards south side of entrance doorway. Photo courtesy of Klaus Heese.

IX.7.16 Pompeii. May 2024.

Looking towards north side of entrance doorway. Photo courtesy of Klaus Heese.

IX.7.16 Pompeii. March 2018. Looking east through entrance doorway.

Foto Taylor Lauritsen, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.

IX.7.16 Pompeii. July 2017. Looking east through entrance doorway.

Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.

IX.7.16 Pompeii. May 2005. Entrance doorway, looking east.

IX.7.16 Pompeii. May 2024.

Looking east along north wall of entrance corridor from entrance doorway. Photo courtesy of Klaus Heese.

IX.7.16 Pompeii, May 2018. Looking east along entrance corridor. Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.

IX.7.16 Pompeii. December 2007. Looking east along entrance corridor, into the unexcavated/reburied.

IX.7.16 Pompeii. May 2005. Looking east along entrance corridor.

IX.7.17 Pompeii, together with IX.7.16. May 2005. Entrances on Vicolo di Tesmo. Looking north.

IX.7.16 Pompeii, May 2018. Renovated window to cubiculum on north side of entrance doorway. Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.

View looking west towards the Basilica in the distance, taken from above IX.7.12, towards doorway of IX.7.16, in centre.   

2017/2018/2019. Photo courtesy of Giuseppe Ciaramella.

View looking west towards the Basilica in the distance, taken from Casina dell’Aquila above IX.7.12, towards doorway of IX.7.16, lower centre.   

2015/2016. Photo courtesy of Giuseppe Ciaramella.

IX.7.16 Pompeii. May 2010. Looking west from Casina dell’Aquila.

Looking towards rear of entrance between two rooms, the triclinium on the left, and a cubiculum on the right.

The room on the lower left of the photo would be another cubiculum, the doorway was described as the second on the right of the atrium.

IX.7.12, 14 or 16 Pompeii. 2017.

Looking down from the Casina dell’Aquila towards a possible aedicula in the north-west corner of the garden area “e” , on the right in the photo.

Photo courtesy of Google Earth.

Due to the fact that the area has not been fully excavated, it is not known whether the garden area belongs to IX.7.12, 14 or IX.7.16.

IX.7.14 or 16 Pompeii. May 2024. Looking towards upper north wall and north-west corner of garden area “e”.

Photo courtesy of Klaus Heese.

IX.7.14/15/16 Pompeii. 2015/2016.

Looking south-west from Casina dell’Aquila towards east side of Vicolo di Tesmo, in lower photo.

The garden area is on the left of the photo, between entrances at IX.7.14 and IX.7.15.

The rooms on the right are part of IX.7.16.  Photo courtesy of Giuseppe Ciaramella.

According to Boyce and Jashemski, a garden was excavated near here.

Whether it belonged to IX.7.12, 14, or 16 cannot be seen until further excavation.

See Boyce G. K., 1937. Corpus of the Lararia of Pompeii. Rome: MAAR 14. (p.89, no.445)

According to Jashemski, she quoted the location as IX.7.12(?).

She said in the north-west corner of this partially excavated garden, at the left of the entrance, stood an aedicula lararium.

In front of the lararium was a small altar, and a lararium painting on the wall around the shrine.

Many marble sculptures decorated the garden.

See Jashemski, W. F., 1993. The Gardens of Pompeii, Volume II: Appendices. New York: Caratzas. (p.239).

IX.7.16 Pompeii. May 2010. Cubiculum on north side of entrance.

Jashemski says that this room, according to Mau, had a garden scene in the centre of the side panels on each wall, other than on the north, which had been painted later.

Mau did not describe the paintings, and they are no longer visible.

See Mau, Bullettino dell’Instituto di Corrispondenza Archeologica (DAIR), 1883, (p.126-133)

See Jashemski, W. F., 1993. The Gardens of Pompeii, Volume II: Appendices. New York: Caratzas. (p.401)

According to Dawson, -

On the entrance (east) wall, right of doorway was - Perseus & Andromeda, p. 84, pl. IV.

On the left (south) wall was - Rape of Hylas, p. 85, pl. III.

On the rear (west) wall was - Trojan Horse, p. 85, pl. IV.

On the right (north) wall was – a sacred landscape, p. 86.

See Dawson, C. 1944. Romano-Campanian Mythological Landscape Painting, p. 84-6, pls. III, IV.

See Schefold, K., 1962. Vergessenes Pompeji. Bern: Francke. (Fig.11, 2).

See Catalogue, 1989. Italienische Reise: Pompejanische Bilder in den deutschen archäologischen Sammlungen. Napoli: Bibliopolis. p. 241-244, fig 81.

See Peters, W.J.T. (1963): Landscape in Romano-Campanian Mural Paintings. The Netherland, Van Gorcum & Comp. (p. 77-78, figs. 61, 62 & 63)

IX.7.16 Pompeii. Cubiculum on north side of entrance. East wall, right of doorway.

Copy of painting of Perseus rescuing Andromeda.

DAIR 83.302. Photo © Deutsches Archäologisches Institut, Abteilung Rom, Arkiv.

IX.7.16 Pompeii. Found on the south wall of the cubiculum on north side of entrance.

Water-colour copy of the painting of Hylas and the nymphs.

DAIR 83.299. Photo © Deutsches Archäologisches Institut, Abteilung Rom, Arkiv.

IX.7.16 Pompeii. Found on the west wall of the cubiculum on north side of entrance.

Painting of the Trojan Horse. The Trojans dance happily and drag the wooden horse to the walls of Troy.

They ignore the warnings of Cassandra who is seen withdrawing, carrying lighted torches.

Now in Naples Archaeological Museum. Inventory number 120176.

See Sampaolo V. and Bragantini I., Eds, 2009. La Pittura Pompeiana. Electa: Verona. (Page 345, Scheda 158).

See Schefold, K., 1957. Die Wände Pompejis. Berlin: De Gruyter. (page 268).

Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.

IX.7.16 Pompeii. Found on the west wall of the cubiculum on north side of entrance.

Detail of painting of the Trojan Horse. Detail of the horse left outside the city by the Greeks.

IX.7.16 Pompeii. Found on the west wall of the cubiculum on north side of entrance. Detail of painting of the Trojan Horse. The city of Troy.

IX.7.16 Pompeii. Found on the west wall of the cubiculum on north side of entrance. Detail of painting of the Trojan Horse. The Trojans dance happily.

IX.7.16 Pompeii. Found on west wall of cubiculum on north side of entrance.

Detail of painting of the Trojan horse. The Trojans ignore the warnings of Cassandra who is seen withdrawing, carrying lighted torches.

IX.7.16 Pompeii. Found on west wall of cubiculum on north side of entrance.

Detail of painting of the Trojan horse. The Trojans drag the wooden horse to the walls of Troy.

IX.7.16 Pompeii. May 2010. Wall plaster outside cubiculum on north side of entrance.

IX.7.16 Pompeii. May 2010. Doorway to triclinium, on south side of entrance.
Found on the east wall of the triclinium, according to Schefold was Bellerophon and Pegasus.

According to Peters (1963), in situ practically nothing remained of the painting.

See Schefold, K., 1957. Die Wande Pompejis. Berlin: De Gruyter. (p.269)

IX.7.16 Pompeii. May 2010. Triclinium, on south side of entrance, on the east wall.
Outline drawing of the painting of Bellerophon and Pegasus.

See Giornale degli Scavi, NS1, 1868 No 5, p. 117, Tav. VII,1.

See Reinach S., 1922. Répertoire de peintures grecques et romaines. Paris: Leroux. (p. 181, 5).

See Catalogue, 1989. Italienische Reise: Pompejanische Bilder in den deutschen archäologischen Sammlungen. Napoli: Bibliopolis. (p. 241-244, fig 83).

See Peters, W.J.T. (1963): Landscape in Romano-Campanian Mural Paintings. The Netherlands, Van Gorcum & Comp. (p.80  fig.66)

According to Mau, there were

on the entrance wall: Bellerophon going to find Pegasus: (Sogliano 520).

on the left wall: Daedalus and Icarus: (Sogliano 523).

on the rear wall: nearly destroyed: Selene and Endymion: Landscape with trees and to the left – a temple. (Sogliano 457: Helbig 942,).

See Mau, in Bullettino dell’Instituto di Corrispondenza Archeologica (DAIR), 1883, (p.130-1)

See Sogliano, A., 1879. Le pitture murali campane scoverte negli anni 1867-79. Napoli: Giannini. (nos. 520, 523 and 457).

See Helbig, W., 1868. Wandgemälde der vom Vesuv verschütteten Städte Campaniens. Leipzig: Breitkopf und Härtel. (no. 952).

IX.7.16 Pompeii. Triclinium, on south side of entrance, on the east wall.
Copy of the painting of Bellerophon and Pegasus.

DAIR 83.303. Photo © Deutsches Archäologisches Institut, Abteilung Rom, Arkiv.

IX.7.16 Pompeii. Triclinium. Drawing by A. Aurelj of Daedalus and Icarus, found in 1867 on the south wall.

DAIR 83.304. Photo © Deutsches Archäologisches Institut, Abteilung Rom, Arkiv.

See Sogliano, A., 1879. Le pitture murali campane scoverte negli anni 1867-79. Napoli: Giannini. (no: 523).

IX.7.16 Pompeii. Triclinium, found on the west wall in 1867, and then reburied.

Due to the bad state of the painting when found, it was recognised originally by Mau as Selene and Endymion (but most probably Diana and Acteon).

DAIR 83.305. Photo © Deutsches Archäologisches Institut, Abteilung Rom, Arkiv.

See Sogliano, A., 1879. Le pitture murali campane scoverte negli anni 1867-79. Napoli: Giannini. (no: 457).

See Helbig, W., 1868. Wandgemälde der vom Vesuv verschütteten Städte Campaniens. Leipzig: Breitkopf und Härtel. (no: 952).

IX.7.16 Pompeii. May 2010. Cubiculum.

Looking towards the west wall of a room with the remains of painted plaster, on the south side of the atrium.

According to Schefold, on the west wall a painting of Mars and Venus was found. (Helbig 323)

A drawing of the painting can be seen in Schefold, K., 1962. Vergessenes Pompeji. Bern: Francke. (fig.55, 3)

On the east wall, not photographed, a drawing of the painting of Achilles receiving the arms can be seen in fig.55, 4.

On the south wall, on the left of the photo, a fragment of the wall painting of Cassandra, Hector, was found.

See Schefold, K., 1957. Die Wande Pompejis. Berlin: De Gruyter.

According to Mau, “The walls were of the same character as those in the triclinium and the other cubiculum.

The walls were simply decorated in the III style.

The zoccolo was painted with a black background, the middle of the wall was red, and the upper part was white.

The execution of the decoration was considered inferior, by Mau, to that of the other cubiculum.

In the middle of each wall was a painting in the usual painted pavilion.

- on the left (east?) wall – the design showed the interior of a house with a column on the left middle of the painting, a second column was on the right, garlands were hanging on them. In front of this last, a little more to the left, was a young person with heroic stature, with a red cloak (......) In his right hand was a golden helmet. More to the right was a woman (...) Another woman stood beside the base (......) They all looked towards the helmet.

- on the rear wall (south?) only a fragment remained: towards the right edge was a figure: the one here had a lance in his right hand (see also Sogliano 560, thought to be Hector) and Helbig 1381, 1391b)

- on the left (west?) wall was a painting of Mars and Venus”.

See Mau, in Bullettino dell’Instituto di Corrispondenza Archeologica (DAIR), 1883, (p. 131-133)

According to Boyce, the room behind this wall would have been the kitchen.

This would have had a lararium painting on the north and west wall.

Traces of an older lararium painting, not entirely covered by the later one, were to be seen on the west wall.

A figure of a Lar could be made out on the left side.

See Boyce G. K., 1937. Corpus of the Lararia of Pompeii. Rome: MAAR 14. (p. 87, no. 436)

and Boyce gives the reference Bullettino dell’Instituto di Corrispondenza Archeologica (DAIR), 1883, 145.

IX.7.16 Pompeii. East wall of cubiculum on south side of atrium.

Drawing by Discanno, sometimes identified as Thetis and Achilles, sometimes as Dido and Aeneas.

DAIR 83.307. Photo © Deutsches Archäologisches Institut, Abteilung Rom, Arkiv. 

IX.7.16 Pompeii. South wall of cubiculum.

Drawing by Discanno showing a fragment of painting from the prophecy of Cassandra.

DAIR 83.308. Photo © Deutsches Archäologisches Institut, Abteilung Rom, Arkiv.

IX.7.16 Pompeii. West wall of cubiculum, drawing by Discanno.

This was sometimes identified as Mars and Venus (Marte and Venere) or Dido and Aeneas (Enea).

DAIR 83.306. Photo © Deutsches Archäologisches Institut, Abteilung Rom, Arkiv.

IX.7.16 Pompeii. West wall of cubiculum, drawing by Discanno.

Detail of drawing sometimes identified as Mars and Venus (Marte and Venere) or Dido and Aeneas (Enea).

DAIR 83.306. Photo © Deutsches Archäologisches Institut, Abteilung Rom, Arkiv.

IX.7.16 Pompeii. May 2010. Cubiculum, west wall.

Outline drawing of the painting of Aphrodite and Adonis or Mars and Venus.

See Reinach S., 1922. Répertoire de peintures grecques et romaines. Paris: Leroux. (p. 65,5).

See Schefold, K., 1962. Vergessenes Pompeji. Bern: Francke. (Taf 55,3).

See Helbig, W., 1868. Wandgemälde der vom Vesuv verschütteten Städte Campaniens. Leipzig: Breitkopf und Härtel. (323)