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Exhibition Of Pompeii’s Romantic Scenes Aims To Unravel Mysteries Related To Erotica

The site director claims that prehistoric life was just as complicated as modern counterpart, as art discovered among remnants is exhibited.
A display of erotic art discovered within the remnants of Pompeii will attempt to demonstrate to questioning minds that racy scenes existed in homes across all segments of society and public spaces, and that the pictures weren’t observed in a scandalous or embarrassing way.
Up to 70 artifacts, consisting of 2 medallions adorned with pictures of satyrs and nymphs coming from a ceremonial chariot discovered at the location last year, will be exhibited at Pompeii’s archaeological pack this month.

Source: Filippo Monteforte/AFP/Getty

Furthermore, visitors will be granted access to check out homes along the Via del Vesuvio holding sexual frescoes, including one discovered in 2018 illustrating Priapus, the god of fertility, weighing his manhood on a scale; and another, depicting the scene of the figure of Leda, being impregnated by the Roman god Jupier, disguised as a swan, discovered in 2019.
“Obviously, rich people’s homes had more paintings but [erotic images] were really very common in Pompeii,” said Gabriel Zuchtriegel, the director of Pompeii archaeological park. “Much had to do with how the Romans used Greek culture as a cultural code, as a lot of the art reflects Greek myth and stories taken from Greek traditions.”
Art depicting couples in explicit sex scenes has been discovered in dug up homes, bearing resemblance to those uncovered in the brothels of prehistoric Roman city, buried by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in AD79. “Scholars have tended to interpret any rooms decorated with these scenes as some kind of brothel,” said Zuchtriegel. “But there was also space for prostitution inside homes.”

Source: Mario Laporta/AFP/Getty

Sexual wall paintings in the brothels have occasionally been identified as a menu of the services on offer. “It looks a bit like this as you have scenes above each single door, but it is always very risky to make this kind of simplification,” added Zuchtriegel. “The ancient daily life was just as complex as our own, and it’s risky to reconstruct what happened in these places just by judging from the images.”
The exhibition will also feature art depicting homoerotic scenes, and includes a statue found in Casa del Bracciale d’oro, or House of the Gold Bracelet, one of Pompeii’s richest homes, representing a young man who would have served his master during banquets, as well as sexually.
“People look at the erotic images of Pompeii and see liberation but they also had written and unwritten rules, and it wasn’t actually this world of great liberty,” said Zuchtriegel. “Take homosexuality … it was certainly tolerated but that does not mean it offered the kind of participation and acceptance that we today are maybe wishing for.”
The exhibition runs until 15 January 2023.
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