Museo Archeologico Napoli
Published: 2013-09
Total Pages: 66
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This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1883 edition. Excerpt: ... HANDBOOK TO THE NAPLES MUSEUM. THE GREAT HALL. Twelve marble slabs recordingthe history of the building. Sixteen ancient cipollino columns on modern pedestals, found in Sanf Agata dei Goti. On The Eight, Alexander Severus. Colossal statue in marble. (F.) Four statues of Eoman Consuls. (Herculaneurn.) *flora. A colossal statue gracefully draped. (Farnese.) On The Staircase, Marble statues representing (5976) the Ocean, (5977) the Nile, a lion, and two Venuses. (Farnese.) On The Left, *gen: tos of the Eoman people. Colossal statue. (F.) Four statues of Eoman Consuls. (Herculaneurn.) Urania. Colossal statue from Pompey's theatre at Eome. (Farnese.) GROUND-FLOOR--RIGHT. ANCIENT FRESCOES. This fine collection of upwards of one thousand paintings, taken from the walls of Pompeii and Herculaneurn, forms one of the chief attractions of the Museum. The pictures represent various historical and mythological scenes from the ancient poems and legends, as well as many domestic incidents, which have served to throw a flood of light upon the manners and customs of the ancient Komans; and though they are frequently incorrect in drawing, the freedom of their execution, the harmony of the grouping, the ease of pose, and the power of expression, are scarcely surpassed by the best painters of our own day. The collection contains some unimportant landscapes, for landscape-painting was never a favourite with the ancients, the end and aim of whose painting seemed to be to give prominence to the representation of the human form, with which their games and contests rendered them so familiar. Landscape, especially in an age of decline as at Pompeii, was employed for mere decorative purposes, while the other pictures served to a great extent the purpose of books in..