Wall painting on black ground: Egyptianizing scene and pair of swans, from the imperial villa at Boscotrecase
Unknown Artist
last decade of the 1st century BCE
Medium
Fresco
Dimensions
Overall: 91 3/4 x 19 5/8in. (233.1 x 49.8cm)
Classification
Miscellaneous-Paintings
Culture & Period
Roman, Pompeian · Early Imperial
Department
Greek and Roman Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Rogers Fund, 1920
Accession Number
20.192.3
Tags
Art Historical Context
This stunning fresco, titled *Wall Painting on Black Ground: Egyptianizing Scene Pair of Swans*,ails from the imperial villa at Boscotase near Pompeii, Italy. Dating to the last decade of the 1 century BCE, it captures the opulent tastes of Rome's Early Imperial elite during the late Republic. Discovered in a site buried by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 CE, the painting—measuring nearly 8 feet long—was part of a lavish decorative scheme in a private villa, likely owned by Agrippina the Elder or her circle, showcasing the era's blend of Roman innovation and exotic influences. Rendered i...