Forsaken Dido
Fresco from Pompeii (House of Meleager, VI. 9. 2).Fourth style. Ca. 69—79 CE. Inv. No. 8898.Naples, National Archaeological Museum, Hall LXXIIPhoto by Luciano Pedicini
Forsaken Dido.
Fresco from Pompeii (House of Meleager, VI. 9. 2).
Fourth style. Ca. 69—79 CE.
Fourth style. Ca. 69—79 CE.
Inv. No. 8898.
Naples, National Archaeological Museum, Hall LXXII
(Napoli, Museo archeologico nazionale, Sala LXXII).
Origin:
Fresco from Pompeii (House of Meleager, VI, 9, 2, atrium of the room 2), 12 Oct. 1829.
Description:
The story of Dido is common to four other paintings from Pompeii, and was one of many subjects drawn from the mythical history of Rome enshrined in the Aeneid. The queen, in tears, is seated on a throne in her palace in Carthage, in the company of her sister Anna and a handmaid who holds a parasol over her. On the right is the personification of Africa, recognisable from the elephant’s trunk and tusks. In the background Aeneas’s ship is sailing away in prelude to the tragic epilogue. The motif of the handmaid shading her mistress with a parasol recalls analogous images on pottery. It was evidently a topos, and recurs again in the description of Pausanias of a painted marble stele standing outside the city of Tritea in Achaia: “a throne of ivory, and on it a young woman of surpassing beauty. Near her a servant, protecting her with an umbrella…”. Datable to the Flavian era, IV style.
Credits:
© 1996. Photo, text: Stefano De Caro, “The National Archaeological Museum of Naples”.
Soprintendenza Archeologica di Napoli e Caserta. Electa, Napoli, 2001, p. 185.
© 1996. Photo: Luciano Pedicini.
Soprintendenza Archeologica di Napoli e Caserta. Electa, Napoli, 2001, p. 185.
© 1996. Photo: Luciano Pedicini.
Keywords: ζωγραφικήί pictura ars picturae painting pittura malerei peinture ελληνική μυθολογία mythologia graeca greek mythology mitologia greca griechische mythologie grecque ρωμαϊκές roman romana romano romani römisch römische römisches römischen römischer romain romaine romains romaines δῑδώ διδώ regina dido elissa elyssa queen didone königin reine didon αἰνείας aineias aeneas enea äneas énée πομπηία pompeii pompeian pompei pompeiano pompeji pompeianischen pompejanischen pompéi pompéien τέταρτο στυλ fourth style iv quarto stile vierte vierter stil quatrième personification personificazione personifikation personifizierung personnification africa of di dell von afrika de afrique φρεσκογραφία τοιχογραφία νωπογραφία wall fresco frescos frescoes opera parietale murale opere parietali murali affresco affreschi freskomalerei frischmalerei wandmalerei fresko fresken fresque fresques pintura mural female dress clothes clothing garment abbigliamento femminile damenbekleidung vêtements pour femmes γυναικεία ρούχα hairdo hairstyle pettinatura acconciatura weibliche frisur coiffure féminine θηλυκό χτένισμα earring earrings orecchino orecchini ohrring ohrringe boucle d’oreille scabellum scabillum footstool sgabello suppedaneo fußschemel fußbank tabouret υποπόδιο torquis necklace collana halskette collier κολιέ house meleager vi 9 2 casa del meleagro navis velifera sailing ship vessel veliero segelschiff voilier ιστιοφόρο velum sail sails vela segel voile πανί ιστίο umbrella sunshade ombrello regenschirm sonnenschirm parapluie ombrelles ομπρέλα ebur ivory avorio elfenbein ivoire ελεφαντόδοντο ελεφαντοστό ancilla servant maidservant housemaid domestica ancella fantesca serva dienstmädchen dienerin domestique servante headdress from elephant skin hide copricapo pelle elefante kopfschmuck elefantenleder coiffée d’une dépouille d’éléphant trunk rostro rüssel trompe προβοσκίδα tusk tusks difesa hauer elefantenhauer elefantenzahn défense thronus seated on the throne enthroned sits siede in assiso su un trono sitzt auf einem thron assis sur trône καθισμένοι σε θρόνο θρόνος forsaken abandoned elisa sister anna inv no 8898
