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January 27, 2008

The most amazing thing I saw on Saturday


Roman Garden Room
Originally uploaded by Michael Tinkler.
I went to the Palazzo Massimo building of the Museo Nazionale Romano to preview for class next week. Gosh it's going to be a mess. I already know the permanent collection well enough to walk through with them, but it's somewhat disarranged for a travelling show from Naples, Rosso Pompeiano. They've hauled a bunch of paintings up from Naples.

The most splendid thing is what my horrid photograph shows - the garden room from the House of the Golden Bracelet at Pompeii. I had never seen it live. I had no idea. Here are some clearer photos, but no context. Here's some context, but the paintings have already been removed. The room is amazing and amazingly intact. I'm in love with the herms carrying pictures on their heads - one of them is on the right of my photo. The composition of elements is wonderfully complicated - what a neat room! It was worth the price of admission by itself.

Pal. Massimo doesn't have any space set aside for changing exhibitions, so they just scooted things around and jammed the Pompeian things in. It doesn't work all that well, but it's probably about the best solution to the problem.

Posted by CrankyProfessor at January 27, 2008 1:43 PM

Comments

Ooh! they will still be there in March! Did you get my e-mails, btw?

Posted by: Another Damned Medievalist [TypeKey Profile Page] at January 27, 2008 2:11 PM