The fresco depicting a religious procession with a statue of Cybele on a stretcher (ferculum), and a niche-aedicula with a herm of Dionysus in 1913
Facade of the House of Venus and the Four Gods (IX. 7. 1).
1st cent. CE.
Photo at the time of discovery, 1912/13.
Pompeii, Archaeological Park, House of Venus and the Four Gods (IX. 7. 1)

The fresco depicting a religious procession with a statue of Cybele on a stretcher (ferculum), and a niche-aedicula with a herm of Dionysus in 1913.

Facade of the House of Venus and the Four Gods (IX. 7. 1).
1st cent. CE.
Photo at the time of discovery, 1912/13.

Pompeii, Archaeological Park, House of Venus and the Four Gods (IX. 7. 1)
(Pompei, Parco Archeologico, Taberna delle quattro divinità (IX. 7. 1)).

Origin:
Excavated 1912.
Description:

Right façade

To the right of the doorway is a white-ground fresco depicting a procession of Cybele. Eighteen figures form a procession beneath a garland suspended at two points. The participants are all wreathed and have clearly differentiated roles. Four litter bearers, two of whom are bearded, wear white tunics with purple mantles and have just put down a ferculum carrying a statue of Cybele. The goddess is shown seated on a high-backed throne draped in green material covered with stars. Cybele wears a purple dress and turreted crown. In her right hand she carries a patera, while a sceptre, branch, and tambourine lean against her left side. At her feet are two gilded lion cubs. To the right of the ferculum are two litter bearers, a small round altar, and two candelabra. The rest of the participants are arranged to the left, with the foreground figures dressed in white and carrying utensils for the sacrifice. Those behind them wear darker clothes, carry ritual objects, and are playing musical instruments, including a double flute. A niche with a small, ivy-wreathed archaizing herm of Dionysus has been inserted into the far left of the fresco. On the extreme left of the composition are two small figures with a syrinx and cymbals. The details of the fresco are not preserved well enough to identify the painter.7

Charlotte R. Potts (2009)
7Allison and Sear (n. 3), 85. Note that Fröhlich (n. 1), 333 believes it is possible to establish that all the paintings on the shop façade are contemporary.
Credits:
© 2015. Photo, text: http://www.vesuvioweb.com.
Photographer unknown.
© 2009. Description: Charlotte R. Potts. The Art of Piety and Profit at Pompeii: A New Interpretation of the Painted Shop Façade at IX. 7. 1—2. In: Greece & Rome, Second Series, Vol. 56, No. 1 (Apr., 2009), pp. 55—70: pp. 59—60.
Keywords: ζωγραφικήί pictura ars picturae painting pittura malerei peinture φρεσκογραφία τοιχογραφία νωπογραφία wall fresco frescos frescoes opera parietale murale opere parietali murali affresco affreschi freskomalerei frischmalerei wandmalerei fresko fresken fresque fresques pintura mural ρωμαϊκές roman romana romano romani römisch römische römisches römischen römischer romain romaine romains romaines πομπηία pompeii pompeian pompei pompeiano pompeji pompeianischen pompejanischen pompéi pompéien ελληνική μυθολογία mythologia graeca greek mythology mitologia greca griechische mythologie grecque διώνυσος dionysus dioniso dionysos κυβέλη κυβήβη μάτερ θεών cybele cybebe kybele magna mater great mother cibele grande madre große göttermutter megále meter cybèle déesse mère γλυπτική sculptura sculpture sculptural scultura skulptur ρωμαϊκό προτομή bust busto büste buste herma herm term erma herme hermès tambourine tamburello tamburin tambourin ντέφι tibia tibiae double flute aulos aulòs αὐλός αυλός ara altar altare autel βωμός serta garland garlands ghirlanda ghirlandi girlande guirlande γιρλάντα leo lion leone löwe λιοντάρι candelabrum candelabra candelabro armleuchter kandelaber candélabre μανουάλι syrinx pan flutes pipes panpipes reed flauto di siringa panflöte flûte de σῦριγξ patera sceptrum sceptre scettro zepter σκήπτρο thronus seated on the throne enthroned sits siede in assiso su un trono sitzt auf einem thron assis sur trône καθισμένοι σε θρόνο θρόνος ferculum fercula stretcher litter pram barella trage tragbahre civière brancard φορείο bearer portatore gepäckträger porteur pediment frontone timpano giebeldreieck fronton αέτωμα pseudo-aedicula naiskos naos edicola ädikula naïskos édicule ναΐσκος corona muralis crown wreath muraria turrita mauerkrone couronne tourellée cymbalum cymbala cymbal cembalo cembali kymbala cymbale κύμβαλον κύμβαλα niche nicchia nische gable roof tetto a capanna satteldach toit à pignon via dell’abbondanza house of venus and four gods ix 7 1 taberna delle quattro divinità situ pompa sacra religious procession processione religiosa religiöse prozession religieuse facade front facciata fassade façade stick staff bastone da dericting with statue la cui statua seduta è sistemata trasportato fedeli