DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.61387#0169
THE RUINS OF POMPEII.
97
the harmony in the general aspect of an apartment painted in this manner.
Even the circle of subjects chosen for the greater pictures may be regarded
as subsidiary to the main object of decoration. Although confined to a
small sphere, it offers, nevertheless, a great variety, and embraces only those
myths, which, through their frequent treatment by poets and artists, had
become the common property of the educated world. They are of a familiar
kind, and calculated to excite gentle and pleasurable emotions without the
trouble of much thought or study, and were thus admirably adapted for
rooms which were to serve as daily habitations. In the same manner the
predominance of subjects which charm and delight the senses, rather than
those which excite sublime or tragical emotions, must be regarded as in no
small degree connected with the essentially decorative character of these
paintings.
Besides the allowances which, on the preceding grounds, are to be made
when viewing the paintings of Pompeii as samples of ancient art, we must
also consider the circumstances under which they are seen. Those that have
been removed to the National Museum are not only out of place and separated
from their proper accompaniments, but have also been frequently put in
situations where they can scarcely be seen, or, at all events, can be seen only
very imperfectly. They have, moreover, been badly treated, and some of
them have been repeatedly daubed with varnish, so as hardly to be recog-
nized any longer. Their colours also have faded and changed, the natural
effect of atmospheric and other influences during a period of many centu-
ries. Of late days a better plan has been adopted of leaving the pictures
just as they were found, where they will be better studied and understood.
But even in their original situations we must remember that there are still
some allowances to be made; and especially that they are viewed under a quite
different light. For the houses being now uncovered, they are seen in broad
day and sunshine, for which few or none were originally calculated; since
even those in the atriums and peristyles were seen in a comparatively broken
light. In some of the smaller and darker rooms it is difficult to say how the
light could have penetrated at all. In such rooms the pictures must some-
times have been hardly visible except by lamp or candle light. The Pan-
theon is perhaps the best place in which to judge of the effects originally
intended. On the left of the entrance the paintings are covered with a broad
roof, and in this situation their colours appear more fresh and lively.
The Pompeian paintings, with regard to their subjects, may be divided
o
97
the harmony in the general aspect of an apartment painted in this manner.
Even the circle of subjects chosen for the greater pictures may be regarded
as subsidiary to the main object of decoration. Although confined to a
small sphere, it offers, nevertheless, a great variety, and embraces only those
myths, which, through their frequent treatment by poets and artists, had
become the common property of the educated world. They are of a familiar
kind, and calculated to excite gentle and pleasurable emotions without the
trouble of much thought or study, and were thus admirably adapted for
rooms which were to serve as daily habitations. In the same manner the
predominance of subjects which charm and delight the senses, rather than
those which excite sublime or tragical emotions, must be regarded as in no
small degree connected with the essentially decorative character of these
paintings.
Besides the allowances which, on the preceding grounds, are to be made
when viewing the paintings of Pompeii as samples of ancient art, we must
also consider the circumstances under which they are seen. Those that have
been removed to the National Museum are not only out of place and separated
from their proper accompaniments, but have also been frequently put in
situations where they can scarcely be seen, or, at all events, can be seen only
very imperfectly. They have, moreover, been badly treated, and some of
them have been repeatedly daubed with varnish, so as hardly to be recog-
nized any longer. Their colours also have faded and changed, the natural
effect of atmospheric and other influences during a period of many centu-
ries. Of late days a better plan has been adopted of leaving the pictures
just as they were found, where they will be better studied and understood.
But even in their original situations we must remember that there are still
some allowances to be made; and especially that they are viewed under a quite
different light. For the houses being now uncovered, they are seen in broad
day and sunshine, for which few or none were originally calculated; since
even those in the atriums and peristyles were seen in a comparatively broken
light. In some of the smaller and darker rooms it is difficult to say how the
light could have penetrated at all. In such rooms the pictures must some-
times have been hardly visible except by lamp or candle light. The Pan-
theon is perhaps the best place in which to judge of the effects originally
intended. On the left of the entrance the paintings are covered with a broad
roof, and in this situation their colours appear more fresh and lively.
The Pompeian paintings, with regard to their subjects, may be divided
o