Pompeii: The Exhibit

This post is a bit different. This is less about creating strong photographic images and more about just documenting.

Today I took in the Pompeii exhibit at the Leonardo Museum. What a powerful experience that was! There were equal parts incredibly beautiful artwork, everyday artifacts and tragic evidence of the massive destruction. Most people know the general history of the volcano that buried Pompeii on August 24, 79 A.D. and that it laid buried, forgotten for over 1500 years!

It was extremely moving that something that occurred almost 2000 years ago felt so immediate in this exhibit. I highly recommend you see it before it leaves town.

Up close, I was able to appreciate even more the detail and craftsmanship of these statues.

These beautiful figurines ranged from about 4 inches to about 12.

Oil lamps like this one would have been all over Roman homes.

Aphrodite, Goddess of Love. Life-size.

Aphrodite, Goddess of Love, 

This mosaic was about 5x5', probably just part of a much larger floor covering originally. Tile = tessera, tiles = tesserae.

Wild boar being attacked by two dogs. A garden or courtyard decoration, if I remember correctly.

Amphorae, for holding oils, wine, etc.

Helmets

Horse bridle, the leather LONG gone.

Theater masks

A marble relief featuring a theater motif.

Larger than life statue. Can't remember his name.

seeing the plaster casts of the victims was sobering.

For more info, go to: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/plaster-citizens-of-pompeii

Sad, sad, sad.