Pompeii and Herculaneum flourished in the early years of the Roman Empire. Pompeii was a thriving port town, and as such was a center of commerce through which many commodities and luxury items passed. Many wealthy Romans made their second homes in these towns, which were further south on the coast and several days’ journey away from the dirt and crowds of Rome. Although smaller than Pompeii, the more cosmopolitan Herculaneum was a town of significant wealth. Additionally, many Romans of the elite classes had large farms around the foot of Mount Vesuvius, an area known for the richness of its soil.

With the eruption of Vesuvius, a moment was frozen in time, preserving art that would otherwise surely be lost to us. The ancient Romans incorporated art into their daily lives in many ways, from their jewelry to their tableware to their furnishings. They surrounded themselves with sumptuous wall paintings and gardens rich with sculpture. Many of the artworks preserved by the eruption of Vesuvius serve as our best examples of how the people of ancient Roman civilization lived-- expressions of their culture, customs and religions remain in the ruined cities.

Pictorial Arts
Sculpture