Tuesday, February 19, 2008

Pompeii



Pompeii

9x12

acrylic on canvas



This lonely urn was all that was left in the ruins of one of the many homes destroyed by the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius in Pompeii.

I took so many photos that day we spent in Pompeii. Each so rich with historical beauty.

But I have to say, if anyone has the desire to travel to Pompeii, they should go to Herculaneum instead.

Since Herculaneum is closer to the volcano than Pompeii, it wasn't destroyed as much as you would have thought. The pyroclastic flow was moving so fast, that by the time it had solidified, the town was already buried to a depth of 20 meters. The combination of ash and water lithified everything and ensured the conservation of all the walls in the houses and the artifacts.

We saw amazing mosaic floors and murals that were completely unharmed. The photo above shows one of those amazing murals. Just look at how rich the colors are!
I wonder if Rothko ever saw this?

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I went to Pompei 30 years ago and I still remember the bodies and art that was left, some images never fade. Carol

Melissa said...

The colors are amazing even after all of these years! When I was at the Sistine Chapel I couldn't believe the colors especially the blues, they seemed to have stuck in my mind!