Herculaneum Ins. Orientalis II.4. Entrance to the large vestibule of the Palaestra and the area at its rear.
Excavated 1933-54.
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Paintings found in this area in 1761, somewhere near “an apsidal room”.
Ins. Orientalis II.4/19 Herculaneum. Painting entitled the Actor King.
Now in Naples Archaeological Museum. Inventory number 9019.
This is shown in AdE IV, p.195, tav.41 and described as being found in the excavations of Portici, in February 1761.
According to Pagano & Prisciandaro,
other paintings and fragments of paintings were found in the area of the
Palaestra in February 1761.
See Pagano, M. and Prisciandaro, R., 2006. Studio sulle provenienze degli oggetti rinvenuti negli scavi borbonici del regno di Napoli. Naples: Nicola Longobardi, p.218 dated 21st February 1761.
Ins. Orientalis II.4/19 Herculaneum. Detail from painting entitled the Actor King.
Now in Naples Archaeological Museum. Inventory number 9019.
Photo courtesy of Giuseppe Ciaramella, November
2018.
Ins. Orientalis II.4/19 Herculaneum. Detail from painting entitled the Actor King.
Now in Naples Archaeological Museum. Inventory number 9019.
Photo
courtesy of Giuseppe Ciaramella, November 2018.
Ins. Orientalis II.4/19 Herculaneum. Painting entitled the Actor King.
Original now in Naples Archaeological Museum, found February 1761. Inventory number 9019.
This is a reproduction of the painting by Zahn.
See Zahn, W., 1842-44. Die schönsten Ornamente und merkwürdigsten Gemälde aus Pompeji, Herkulanum und Stabiae: II. Berlin: Reimer, taf. 97.
Ins. Orientalis II.4/19 Herculaneum.
Painting of a young nude hero sitting on a golden chair with a sword leaning against it.
Now
in Naples Archaeological Museum, inventory number 9020. Photo
courtesy of Giuseppe Ciaramella, November 2018.
Ins. Orientalis II.4/19 Herculaneum. Painting of a young nude hero sitting on a golden chair with a sword leaning against it.
Next to him stands another young nude, but missing his head and right arm, and on the left, only half a horse can be seen.
Now in Naples Archaeological Museum. Inventory number 9020.
This is shown in AdE IV, p.211, Tav.44, and described as being found together with the preceding painting in the month of February 1761 at Portici.
See also Pagano, M. and Prisciandaro, R., 2006. Studio sulle provenienze degli oggetti rinvenuti negli scavi borbonici del regno di Napoli. Naples: Nicola Longobardi, p.218 dated 21st February 1761.
Ins. Orientalis II.4/19 Herculaneum. Painting of a musical concert.
Now in Naples Archaeological Museum. Inventory number 9021
This is shown in
AdE IV, p.207, tav.43, and described as being found together with the preceding
paintings in the month of February 1761 at Portici.
According to Pagano & Prisciandaro,
this painting was recomposed from two fragments found in the area of the
Palaestra in February 1761.
Ins. Orientalis II.4/19 Herculaneum. Painting of girl having her hair dressed.
Now in Naples Archaeological Museum. Inventory number 9022.
This is shown in AdE IV, p.207, tav.43, and described as being found together with the preceding paintings in the month of February 1761 at Portici.
According to Pagano
& Prisciandaro, this painting was recomposed from fragments found in the
area of the Palaestra in February 1761.
Ins. Orientalis II.4/19 Herculaneum. Painting of girl having her hair dressed.
Now in Naples Archaeological
Museum. Inventory number 9022. Photo courtesy of Giuseppe Ciaramella,
November 2018.
Ins. Orientalis II.4/19 Herculaneum. Detail from painting of girl having her hair dressed.
Now in Naples Archaeological Museum.
Inventory number 9022. Photo
courtesy of Giuseppe Ciaramella, November 2018.
Ins. Orientalis II.4/19 Herculaneum. Detail from painting of girl having her hair dressed.
Now in Naples Archaeological Museum. Inventory number 9022. Photo courtesy of Giuseppe Ciaramella, November 2018.
According to Parslow, in February 1761 a shaft was sunk from one of the upper level rooms of the Palaestra down into one of the rooms flanking the great apsidal hall.
By luck this narrow shaft dropped directly onto a series of small mounted paintings resting on the mosaic floor and leaning up against one wall.
See Parslow, C. C. (1998). Rediscovering Antiquity, Cambridge Univ. Press, ((p.148-149, and fig.41)
According to Grasso, these small mounted paintings were provenanced from Ins. Orientalis. II.4/19 and are now in Naples Archaeological Museum.
They include -
NAP
9019, p.164, no 47,
NAP
9020, p.165, no 48,
NAP
9021, p 163, no 46,
NAP
9022, p.162, no 45,
NAP
9726, p.135, no 25,
NAP
9735, p.136, no 26,
NAP
8993, p.110, no.8,
See Bragantini, I, and Sampaolo, V, eds. La Pittura Pompeiana. Naples, Electa. (See above for page numbers).
Ins. Orientalis II.4/19 Herculaneum. Painting found in February 1761.
Now in Naples Archaeological Museum. Inventory number 9726.
This is shown in AdE I, p.223, tav.42 and is shown as Scavi of Resina, but with no date or place mentioned.
Ins. Orientalis II.4/19 Herculaneum. Painting found in February 1761.
Now in Naples Archaeological Museum. Inventory number 9735.
Ins. Orientalis II.4/19 Herculaneum. Painting found in February 1761.
Now in Naples Archaeological Museum. Inventory number 8993.
Ins. Orientalis II.4/19 Herculaneum. Small painting, above, found in February 1761 in Herculaneum.
Now in Naples Archaeological Museum. Inventory number 8993.
Below is a similar painting, (inv. 8997) found in VII.16.10 at Pompeii. Photo courtesy of Giuseppe Ciaramella, November 2018.
Ins. Orientalis II.4/19 Herculaneum. Found 19th/21st February 1761.
Fragment
of a young sitting faun playing the pipes, but only the legs, head and small
part of the body remain.
Nearby
are the legs of another young person.
Now
in Naples Archaeological Museum. Inventory number
9141.
See Le
Antichita di Ercolano esposte Tomo 4, Le Pitture Antiche di Ercolano 4,
1765, Tav
29, 139.
Ins. Orientalis II.4/19
Herculaneum. Found 19th/21st February 1761.
Old 19th century photo.
Fragment of a sitting man playing the lyre and with another figure at his feet listening to him, but part of the head is missing.
Now in
Naples Archaeological Museum. Inventory number 9816.
See Pagano, M. and Prisciandaro, R., 2006. Studio sulle provenienze degli oggetti rinvenuti negli scavi borbonici del regno di Napoli. Naples: Nicola Longobardi, p. 218.
Ins. Orientalis II.4/19
Herculaneum. Found
19th/21st February 1761. Three very
curious fragments of plaster.
Now in
Naples Archaeological Museum. Inventory number 9906.
See Le Antichità di Ercolano esposte Tomo 4, Le Pitture
Antiche di Ercolano 4, 1765, Tav 51, 245.
Ins. Orientalis II.4/19
Herculaneum. Found
19th February 1761.
Fragment of
plaster showing a young girl dressed in green holding a bird in her hands.
The top left
fragment and the young girl match the AdE 4, Tav 51, 245 drawing above, but the centre fragment is
different.
Now in
Naples Archaeological Museum. Inventory number 9906.
Ins. Orientalis II.4, Herculaneum. March 2014.
Looking west towards steps from palaestra,
looking towards large room (Aula Absidiata).
Foto Annette
Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR
Ins. Orientalis II.4, Herculaneum. 1975.
Looking west across palaestra towards large room with recess in palaestra portico. 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.
J75f0688
Ins. Orientalis II.4, Herculaneum, October 2023. Looking west. Photo courtesy of Klaus Heese.
Ins. Orientalis II.4, Herculaneum, photo taken between October 2014 and November 2019.
Looking west towards the large apsed room (Aula Absidiata). Photo courtesy of Giuseppe Ciaramella.
Ins. Orientalis II.4, Herculaneum, March 2014.
Looking west towards the large apsed room (Aula Absidiata),
which opens out into the centre of the west portico.
Foto Annette Haug, ERC
Grant 681269 DÉCOR.
Ins. Orientalis II.4, Herculaneum, March 2014. Looking west from
portico.
Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.
Ins. Orientalis II.4, Herculaneum. June 2005. Looking west to large apsed room. Photo courtesy of Nicolas Monteix.
Ins. Orientalis II.4, Herculaneum, March 2014. Remaining
decoration on west and north wall of apsed room.
Foto Annette Haug, ERC
Grant 681269 DÉCOR.
Ins. Orientalis II.4, Herculaneum, October 2012.
Remaining decoration on west and north wall of apsed room. Photo courtesy of Michael Binns.
Ins. Orientalis II.4, Herculaneum, August 2021.
Looking towards large niche in west wall of apsed room. Photo courtesy of Robert Hanson.
Ins. Orientalis II.4, Herculaneum, August 2013.
West end of apsed room, with large niche set into west wall. Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.
Ins. Orientalis II.4, Herculaneum, 7th August 1976.
Looking towards west end of apsed room, with large niche set into west wall.
Photo courtesy of Rick Bauer, from Dr George Fay’s slides collection.
Ins. Orientalis II.4, Herculaneum. 1975.
Looking west towards recess in palaestra portico. 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.
J75f0689
Ins. Orientalis II.4, Herculaneum, March 2014.
Looking towards west end of apsed room, remains of capitals
and flooring, and a large marble table with legs terminating in eagle’s claws.
Foto Annette Haug, ERC
Grant 681269 DÉCOR.
Ins. Orientalis II.4, Herculaneum, August 2013.
Details from west end of apsed room, a large marble table with legs terminating in eagle’s claws. Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.
Ins. Orientalis II.4, Herculaneum, August 2013. Detail of marble table in apsed room. Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.
Ins. Orientalis II.4, Herculaneum, October 2012. Detail of marble table in apsed room. Photo courtesy of Michael Binns.
Ins. Orientalis II.4, Herculaneum, August 2013. Detail of eagle’s claw. Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.
Ins. Orientalis II.4, Herculaneum, October 2022.
Looking west across remaining flooring. Photo courtesy of Klaus Heese.
Ins. Orientalis II.4, Herculaneum, October 2022. Detail of flooring. Photo courtesy of Klaus Heese.
Ins. Orientalis II.4, Herculaneum, March 2014. Flooring in large apsed
room.
Foto Annette Haug, ERC
Grant 681269 DÉCOR.
Ins. Orientalis II.4, Herculaneum, August 2013. Flooring. Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.
Ins. Orientalis II.4, Herculaneum, May 2001.
Looking west towards the large apsed room, which opens out into the centre of the west portico, taken from roadway above.
The room on the north side of the large apsed room, on right of it, has the remaining decoration as photographed below.
Photo courtesy
of Current Archaeology.
Ins. Orientalis II.4, Herculaneum. December 2004.
Looking west across the roof of Sala III, lower centre.
On the left is the rear wall of the apsed room of the Palaestra. At the rear of this are the upper rooms of the Bakery at Ins. Orientalis II.8.
On the right, behind the roof of Sala III, is the upper area of Ins. Orientalis II.9. Photo courtesy of Nicolas Monteix.
Ins. Orientalis II.4, Herculaneum. December 2004.
Looking west across the roof of Sala III on north side of apsed room, lower left.
On the left is the rear wall of the apsed room of the Palaestra. At the rear of this are the upper rooms of the Bakery at Ins. Orientalis II.8.
The stairs, on the right, are in Ins. V.30. Photo courtesy of Nicolas Monteix.
Ins. Orientalis II.4, Herculaneum. December 2004.
Looking north towards doorway leading into room “III”. Photo courtesy of Nicolas Monteix.
Ins. Orientalis II.4, Herculaneum. October 2023.
Room III on north (right) side of Aula Absidiata, looking west to doorway taken from West Portico.
Photo courtesy of
Klaus Heese.
Ins. Orientalis II.4, Herculaneum, February 2007. South wall of room “III”. Photo courtesy of Nicolas Monteix.
Ins. Orientalis II.4, Herculaneum, February 2007. South-west corner of room “III”. Photo courtesy of Nicolas Monteix.
Ins. Orientalis II.4, Herculaneum. October 2023. Room III,
looking towards west wall. Photo courtesy of Klaus Heese.
Ins. Orientalis II.4, Herculaneum. October 2023. Room III,
looking along north wall. Photo courtesy of Klaus Heese.
Ins. Orientalis II.4, Herculaneum, August
2021.
Looking north along west portico from near
north wall of apsed room, on left. Photo courtesy of Robert Hanson.
Ins. Orientalis II.4, Herculaneum. December 2004.
Large masonry pilaster on north side of large apsed room, looking west across portico.
Photo courtesy of Nicolas Monteix.
Ins. Orientalis II.4, Herculaneum. December 2004.
Detail of holes for support beams in masonry pilaster of west portico. Photo courtesy of Nicolas Monteix.
Ins. Orientalis II.4, Herculaneum. December 2004.
South wall of rectangular area, on north side of the three central rooms. Photo courtesy of Nicolas Monteix.
Ins. Orientalis II.4, Herculaneum. December 2004.
Detail of south wall of rectangular area. Photo courtesy of Nicolas Monteix.
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