Roman art of the 1st century often showed an astonishing degree of realism. The painting, sculpture and mosaics of the period could accurately depict people and objects, often displaying a masterful level of skill on the part of the artisan who created the piece. The portraiture of this period is often unrivalled, in both painting and sculpture. The fresco paintings of Pompeii are central to the study of all Roman wall paintings. Because so many paintings have been preserved, the wall paintings of Pompeii serve as the basis for the classification of Roman painting into four “styles”, a convention that is still in use.

Mosaic floors decorated most houses of means. Made of smooth pebbles or more commonly, carved stone pieces called tesserae, these floors were most often covered with geometric designs of varying complexity. Human, animal and mythological figures would have graced some of the more elaborate floors, and several houses in Pompeii went so far as to lay floors in their entrance areas with images of a snarling guard dog who served as a protector. Mosaics with highly artistic content were prized, and those of a smaller size were sometimes removed and transported when their owners moved from house to house.

Sculpture