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Venus as a Goddess of Love, Nature, and the Sea: A Study of the Painted Garden of the House of Venus in the Shell in Pompeii
Tulpan, Ilinca Cornelia
Tulpan, Ilinca Cornelia
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Abstract
While there are many exquisitely painted gardens found throughout the ruins of Pompeii, the garden of the House of Venus is especially alluring with its harmonious combinations of art, mythology, and nature. The south wall of the house’s garden is decorated with a central painting of the goddess Venus, reclining in a seashell, surrounded by paintings of lush and luxurious gardens. This thesis investigates why the painting of the goddess Venus was chosen as the central decoration of the garden, and why this painting was combined with paintings of imaginary paradise gardens. The ancient Roman goddess Venus was a goddess of beauty, love, and desire, of nature, gardens, and fertility, and of the sea. She was one of the most important goddesses of Rome, and she was especially important in the ancient town of Pompeii, where she was celebrated as the town’s patron goddess. In the garden of the House of Venus, the paintings on the south wall add to the splendour of the garden, and they highlight the goddess’s various realms and powers. Similar portrayals of the goddess Venus have been found in other Pompeian paintings and mosaics, and there are also other Pompeian gardens where mythology and nature were harmoniously intertwined to enchant viewers and transform the garden into an elysian paradise. These mesmerising paintings evoked the presence of the goddess and her powers over the natural world, appealing to Venus to be not only the patron goddess of the city, but also to be the patron goddess of the house itself.
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Master of Arts in Art History -- John Cabot University, Spring 2024.
Date
2024
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Keywords
Domestic architecture, Classical antiquities, Roman architecture, Buildings, Rome (Empire), Dwellings, Pompeii (Extinct city, Italy)
Citation
Tulpan, Ilinca Cornelia. "Venus as a Goddess of Love, Nature, and the Sea: A Study of the Painted Garden of the House of Venus in the Shell in Pompeii". Master's Thesis, John Cabot University, Rome, Italy. 2024.