<em>The megalographia</em> (portrayal of life-like figure) found in the Villa of Mysteries are a collection of narratives, speaking to the many facets of the Dionysius (Bacchus) Cult and are among the finest examples of fresco or wall art of the period.  To this date, no other collection like it has been discovered.

<!--more-->The artisan employed by to wealthy merchants and the owners of the Villa, Aulus Vettius Restitutus and Aulus Vettius Coniviva, created this work about 60 B.C.E. sometime after the earthquake of 62 B.C.E. (Janson, H.W.)  This frieze represents the “Dionysiac initiation rites and the prenuptial ordeals of a bride, in the so-called triclinium of the Villa of the Mysteries (or Villa Item)” (Villa of the Mysteries) found near the Herculaneum gate of Pompeii. Each component of these frescoes is separated from the next with strips of a black. One might image the old strips of film found in the 20<sup>th</sup> century; each frame separated by a narrow line from the next, yet all images on the film joined in the context of the film.

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The pageantry of the work in total provides cadence in the characters movements while the artists’ brilliant use of color speaks to the sumptuous atmosphere of the day. Also typical of the day is the artists’ use of mythological themes. Equally important is the quality of this work with its beautiful images that were likely copies of Greek statues or images; a practice common throughout the Roman territories. As summarized in the History of Art, “An artist of exceptional greatness of vision has filled these forms with new life,” further comparing the artist to the famous Greek masters, “whose works are lost to us forever, he (the artist) was their legitimate heir.”( Janson, H.W.)

There is very scant research material mentioning critiques of wall paintings in these times and nothing is found that specifically mentions the Villa of Mysteries murals; however, there is one critic of the day offering comments on Roman paintings in general terms. In the rule of Emperor Augustus (27 B.C.E.–14 C.E.), an architectural author, Vitruvius, critiqued some of Roman’s (meaning those of Roman territories) frescos. Though the Villa of Mysteries frescoes is of the Second Style, the following is offered for an overview of the genre as judged by Vitruvius; the First Style or, as Vitruvius described it, the Masonry Style utilized color mixed with mortar allowing the artist to create a dimensional work like a low relief carving;  the Second Style (as seen in the frescoes at Villa of Mysteries) was described by Vitruvius thusly, “(this art) took some of its inspiration from the scenery in theatrical productions,” however, the Second Style gained his approval for its depiction of mythological themes; the Third Style was not completely to Vitruvius’ liking as evident with his comment, “(this work is) elegant and exquisite, but it was also oppressive,” utilizing mural designs emphasizing the wall and not as in the second style with its mural motif, illustrating landscapes that seem to melt into a distant haze. (Vitruvius) The Fourth Style was described by Vitruvius as utilizing imagery that is not found in nature, not copied from real life and like other frescoes produce in the same time period, the wall art at the Villa of Mysteries are colorful, sumptuous and carried a distinct mythological theme.

The masterful work at the Villa of Mysteries (right) is quite different from its counterparts executed by other painters throughout Pompeii and even Rome; though generally speaking, all artistic endeavors of the day reflected the pinnacle of the Roman Empire’s expanse and success. Wall art from most of these artists exhibited less skill than that of the Mystery panels and very little attention to scale from one figure to the next in the same piece.  The most disconcerting aspect of many of the frescos of the time was the very execution of the work. For example, the wall painting found in Herculaneum, <em>Hercules and Telphus</em> c 70 AD (left) reveals that “not only the forms, but even the brushwork varies from one figure to the next.”(Janson, H.W.) The wall art panels in the Villa of Mysteries are not only consistent and coherent they are unified in there execution. Shedding more light on the exceptional quality of this work we turn to H. W. Jansen who asserted, “An artist of exceptional greatness of vision has filled these forms with new life.”(Janson, H.W.)

Similar works of the day offer interesting contrasts. Comparing <em>Apollo (also referred to as Nero as Apollo) in the image on the left to mythical fresco on the right </em>in the Villa of Mysteries similarities are in evidence and the differences are apparent. Both bodies of work carry themes based upon mythological and both designs have marked similarities: vivid red toned background, a faux marble decorative lower segment, a decorative band above the key images and dividing the images one from the next are columns represented as thin lines.  There are differences in these bodies of work made clear in the figures of each work. The Mysteries panels, according to Jansen, carry a, “dignity of bearing and expression,” and “the wonderful firmness of body and drapery.”(Janson, H.W.) Each panel exhibits life-sized models or portraits of the human form (Dionysus phallus excluded) that are clearly grounded in a realistic setting.

In contrast to the Villa panels, the Apollo work features small figures float or stand on pedestals with voluptuous, colorful fabrics swelling about them. Above these figures are miniature landscapes set in a perspective, imitating a coffered ceiling. Thematically, each work is divergent. The ritualistic myth of the Dionysus cult is played out in a series of panels of a private home or villa; each depicting a specific scene and an allegory from the times. The Apollo works are found in the Building of the Triclinia, a structure perhaps used as a public house or a restaurant; some scholars even supposed it may have been the head office of an affluent corporation. The images depicting the individual characters and props are clues to the buildings uses: Apollo, eight of the nine muse’s musical instruments and dimensional structures “jutting” out into the room.  Perhaps the Apollo image is that of Nero and the muses represent his family as Nero was renowned as a devotee of music and poetry. Clearly this work is secular in nature and a model of the Fourth Style.

The content of the imagery is quite risqué. Brochures offering, “Pompeii’s Frisky Frescoes Revealed, Sexy Wall Art Uncovered at Archaeological Site!” (Blanchard, Paul.) in 2011 seemed to pander to the baser human traits.   However, the theme of the work underscores its importance as an example of the cult-like atmosphere of the day; treating sex as sacrament to the cult god, unique to this time and place of the antiquities. The panels; however, are acclaimed art work and praised by artists, historians, and scholars for their significance in the history of artistic expression. From a personal perspective; these images, at first “blush” were amusing; especially that of <em>Dionysus Weighing His Phallus</em> (not pictured though the image at the beginning of this piece offers a similar excesses) which seemed, at least to me, an extreme exaggeration of locker room aggrandizement.  Upon further study, a realization of the historical significance of these colorful, cryptic, and evocative works represents an immeasurable documentation of some of the religious rites in the 1<sup>st</sup> century A.D. is evident; make use of the artist as the historian.  As an artist, I find the style, use of color, and theme a snap-shot of the times when mortality, morality, and the cycle of life were explained through mythology; a time of proving mans resilience in the face of natural disasters.

Future generations, much as past and present generations, will seek to define creation, evolution, and the mysteries of the universe that elude us today in an artistically expressed documentary and exceptional example of creative style, content, and application of the day.  A study of historical belief patterns and the purposes of those beliefs offer future generations a glimpse into mans’ vulnerability; a fear of mortality and man’s lack of control over the outcome, a thesis poignantly explored by artists throughout human history.

The frescoes of the Villa of Mysteries are an important body of work for future generations as a way to scrutinize mans quest for immortality and explaining the unknown while offering an excellent example of the artistic mastery of the Roman Empire during a monumental era in its history.

Works Cited

Janson, H.W.  <em>History of Art</em>, Prentice-Hall. 1983, 2<sup>nd</sup> edition.  Pg 188/189

"Villa of the Mysteries." <em>Encyclopedia Britannica. Encyclopedia Britannica Online</em>. Encyclopædia Britannica, 2011. Web. February 10, 2011.

Janson, H.W.  History of Art, Prentice-Hall. 1983, 2<sup>nd</sup> edition.  Pg 188/189

Vitruvius, "The Decadence of Fresco Painting," in <em>the Ten Books of Architecture</em>. Trans. Morris Hicky Morgan (New York: Dover, 1969): 210–211. Text modified by James Allan Evans.

Janson, H.W.  <em>History of Art</em>, Prentice-Hall. 1983, 2<sup>nd</sup> edition.  Pg 188/189

Janson, H.W.  <em>History of Art</em>, Prentice-Hall. 1983, 2<sup>nd</sup> edition.  Pg 188/189

Janson, H.W.  <em>History of Art</em>, Prentice-Hall. 1983, 2<sup>nd</sup> edition.  Pg 188/189

Blanchard, Paul. <em>Blue Guide, Southern Italy; From Rome to Calabrie</em>. New York: W.W. Norton &amp; Company Inc. 1982

The megalographia (portrayal of life-like figure) found in the Villa of Mysteries are a collection of narratives, speaking to the many facets of the Dionysius (Bacchus) Cult and are among the finest examples of fresco or wall art of the period.  To this date, no other collection like it has been discovered, offering sufficient cause for its preservation.