Wall painting
Unknown Artist
mid-4th century BCE
Medium
Fresco
Dimensions
Overall: 53 3/8 x 38 1/2in. (135.6 x 97.8cm)
Classification
Miscellaneous-Paintings
Culture & Period
Greek, South Italian, Lucanian · Late Classical
Department
Greek and Roman Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Robin F. Beningson, 1994
Accession Number
1994.62
Tags
Art Historical Context
This vibrant fresco wall painting, dating to the mid-4th BCE, hails from the Lucanian culture of South Italy—a region where Greek colonists mingled with local Italic peoples during the Late Classical period. using the ancient fresco technique, where pigments are applied to wet plaster for enduring color, it measures an impressive 53 38 x 38 1/2 inches. Donated to the Metropolitan Museum Art in 1994, it offers a rare glimpse into the domestic or funerary art of this dynamic era, when South Italian workshops produced lively scenes blending myth, daily life, and symbolism. The composition featur...