Hues of Art Hues of Art: Pigment Analysis of Unprovenanced Wall Painting Fragment from Pompeii Tuuli Kasso 7KLV VWXG\ XVHV D QRQGHVWUXFWLYH DSSURDFK RQ IUHVFR IUDJPHQWV IURP 3RPSHLLIRFXVLQJRQWKHDUWLVW¶VSLJPHQWSDOHWWHXVHGLQWKHVWFHQWXU\ $' LQ 5RPDQ ZDOO SDLQWLQJV 7KH 7XNNLOD IUDJPHQWV ZHUH EURXJKW WR)LQODQGIURP3RPSHLLLQLQWKHDIWHUPDWKRI:RUOG:DU,,DQG WKH SUHFLVH SURYHQDQFH KRXVH LQVXOD LV QRW NQRZQ +RZHYHU REMHFWV µWKLQJV¶ DQG HYHQ IUDJPHQWV SURYLGH XV ZLWK NQRZOHGJH WKURXJKWKH PDWHULDOVWKH\ZHUHPDGHIURPOLQNLQJWRWKHFKRLFHDQGLQWHQWLRQ E\ WKHPDNHU3LJPHQWVFDQEHLGHQWL¿HGE\WKHLUFKHPLFDOFRPSRVLWLRQ LQ DGGLWLRQ WR ZDOO SDLQWLQJ WHFKQLTXHV 7KH LGHQWL¿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nstitute for European and Mediterranean Archaeology 33 Tuuli Kasso Introduction WKH ZDU HQGHG 3RPSHLL ZDV LQ D FKDRWLF VWDWH3KRWRJUDSKVVKRZWKHFUXPEOLQJ 7KHLPSDFWRIWKHGHYDVWDWLRQFDXVHGE\WKH YLOODH, and the surrounding mayhem. FDWDVWURSKLFHUXSWLRQRI9HVXYLXVLQ$' 6WUHHWV ZHUH VFDWWHUHG ZLWK SLHFHV RI ZDOO is most evident throughout the settlements paintings.5)LQQLVKDUFKLWHFW,LUR7XNNLOD DQGFLWLHVLWGHVWUR\HG7KHPRVWIDPRXV YLVLWHG3RPSHLLLQDQGEURXJKWEDFN 3RPSHLLZDVUHGLVFRYHUHGLQDQG ZLWKKLPWZRZDOOSDLQWLQJIUDJPHQWV VLQFHKDVJUHDWO\LQÀXHQFHGDUWVDQGEHHQ GLVSOD\HGLQ)LJXUHVDQG,Q a continuous target of studies. Despite the 7XNNLOD¶V ZLGRZ GRQDWHG WKH IUDJPHQWV ORQJKLVWRU\RIUHVHDUFKLQJ3RPSHLLWKHUH WR (38+ (;3(',72 3203(,$1$ DUHVWLOOVLJQL¿FDQWJDSVLQRXUNQRZOHGJH 81,9(56,7$7,6 +(/6,1*,(16,6 about daily Roman life, represented not 7KH 3RPSHLL 3URMHFW E\ WKH 8QLYHUVLW\ by the literal evidence, but by the material of Helsinki. 67KHSURYHQDQFHRIWKHVH culture left behind.,QWKHODWHVLW IUDJPHQWVZKLFKDUHVWLOOLQH[FHOOHQW ZDVUHVROYHGWKDWQRPRUHH[FDYDWLRQV VKRXOG EH FDUULHG RXW LQ 3RPSHLL DQG WKH IRFXVRIWKHUHVHDUFKZRXOGEHWDUJHWHGWR the conservation and documentation of WKH DUHDV DOUHDG\ H[FDYDWHG Currently, QHZ H[FDYDWLRQV DUH LPSOHPHQWHG DJDLQ 7KHFKRLFHWRSHUWDLQIURPH[FDYDWLRQZDV LQÀXHQFHGGXHWRWKHUHDVRQWKDWWKHZDOO paintings discovered earlier from the ancient city are under a grave risk of disappearing completely. Current estimation is that QHDUO\SHUFHQWRIWKHZDOOSDLQWLQJV H[FDYDWHG DIWHU KDYH EHHQ GHVWUR\HG E\GHWHULRUDWLRQFDXVHGE\OLJKWH[SRVXUH ZHDWKHULQJ DQG HQYLURQPHQWDO FRQGLWLRQV )RU LQVWDQFH VXOSKXU GLR[LGH 62) in SUHVHQWGD\ SROOXWLRQ FDXVH WKH FDOFLXP carbonate (CaCO) in the plaster to turn to gypsum (CaSO4·+O)FDXVLQJWKHÀDNLQJ RIWKHVXUIDFHIXUWKHUSUHGLVSRVLQJWKHZDOO paintings to decay. Documentation plays a VXEVWDQWLDO UROH LQ SUHVHUYLQJ ZKDW LV VWLOO OHIWEXWPXFKNQRZOHGJHLVDOUHDG\ORVWZLWK the paintings faded beyond recognition.4 'HVSLWH WKH GLVFUHSDQF\ RI H[FDYDWLQJ 3RPSHLLFRQWULEXWLQJWRWKHORVVRIHYLGHQFH other human events such as the coming RI ZDU WR 3RPSHLL EURXJKW QHZ ¿QGLQJV albeit at a great price. During World War ,, WKH $OOLHV ERPEHG 3RPSHLL RQ VHYHUDO RFFDVLRQVUHVXOWLQJLQH[WHQVLYHGDPDJH WRWKHFLW\+RZHYHUERPESLWVRXWVLGHWKH FLW\ZDOOVH[SRVHGWKHORFDWLRQRIWKH9LOOD )LJDQG7KH³7XNNLODIUHVFRIUDJPHQWV´ ,PSHULDOH D SUHYLRXVO\ XQNQRZQ EXLOGLQJ 5HIHUUHGWRDV³)UDJPHQW$´ RQWKHWRS DQG³)UDJPHQW%´ ZLWK ULFK DQG HODERUDWH PXUDOV $IWHU RQWKHERWWRP 7KHUHVXOWVRIWKHDQDO\VLVRI)UDJPHQW$DUH presented in this study. 34 Chronika Hues of Art FRQGLWLRQ LV XQNQRZQ LQFOXGLQJ ZKLFK VKRZVDQGWKHDVVRUWPHQWRIDZLQHVHUYLQJ UHJLR, LQVXOD, house or room they originated. WKHUPRSROLXP to the imperial villas and Research into the provenance has yet to be public temples. GRQH DV VXFK FRPSUHKHQVLYH ZRUN LQ VLWX has not been possible to implement. Although several names of painters, such as $ULVWRPHQHVRI7KDVRV$QGURQRI(SKHVXV 7KH6LJQL¿FDQFHRI3RPSHLLIRUWKH6WXG\ DQG3RO\FOHVPHQWLRQHGE\9LWUXYLXVKDYH of Roman Art VXUYLYHG WKH PDMRULW\ RI ZDOO SDLQWHUV UHPDLQ XQLGHQWL¿HG <HW WKLV LV QRW *HUPDQ VFKRODU $XJXVW 0DX FODVVL¿HG necessarily the result of poor preservation, ZDOO SDLQWLQJ VW\OHV LQ 3RPSHLL LQWR rather it is more likely that many paintings WKH IRXU 3RPSHLDQ VW\OHV LQ 7KLV ZHUH XQVLJQHG DV PRVW DUWLVWV LQ DQFLHQW FDWHJRUL]DWLRQRIWKHVW\OHVGRHVQRWRQO\ 5RPHZHUHDQRQ\PRXVDQGFRQVLGHUHGWR DSSO\WR3RPSHLLEXWDOVRWRSDLQWLQJVW\OHV EHORZVWDWXVZRUNHUVZLWKDQXQIDYRUDEOH WKURXJKRXWWKH5RPDQZRUOG$OWKRXJK position in the society. Working together, several scholars before Mau had published SDLQWHUV¶JURXSVIRUPHGDQGZRUNHGDVORFDO WKHLU RZQ FODVVL¿FDWLRQV 0DX¶V YHUVLRQ LV ZRUNVKRSVRUPRELOHJURXSV7KHVW\OHVRI WKHPRVWUHFRJQL]HGGXHWRLWVFRKHUHQFH WKHVHJURXSVFDQEHLGHQWL¿HGEDVHGRQ and clarity. According to Docent Antero the conservative repertory of Roman art. 7DPPLVWR WKH 7XNNLOD IUHVFR IUDJPHQWV Groups can be distinguished from one DUHLGHQWL¿HGDVEHORQJLQJWRWKHODWH7KLUG another by their technique, but this is only or early Fourth Style.7KH7KLUG6W\OH¿UVW MXVWDQHZDUHDLQWKHVWXG\RI5RPDQZDOO DSSHDUHGDURXQG%&FRQWLQXLQJXQWLO paintings. $'ZKHQWKH)RXUWK6W\OHIRUPHG 7KLVJLYHVWKHIUDJPHQWVDQDSSUR[LPDWH 4XHVWLRQVUHODWLQJWRSHUFHSWLRQVDQGYDOXH GDWLQJIURP%&WR$' RI5RPDQZDOOSDLQWLQJVLQWKH5RPDQ ZRUOGKDYHEHHQUDLVHGE\PRGHUQVFKRODUV In addition to styles, the pigments used in 8PEHUWR3DSSDODUGRPHQWLRQVDUHODWLRQVKLS 5RPDQZDOOSDLQWLQJVKDYHEHHQDWDUJHWRI EHWZHHQWKHGHFRUDWLRQVDQGKRPHRZQHUV interest since the early days of researching $FFRUGLQJ WR 3DSSDODUGR WKLV ERQG PXVW 3RPSHLL&KHPLVWV-HDQ$QWRLQH&KDSWDOLQ KDYHEHHQPRUHSURIRXQGWKDQH[SHFWHGDV DQG6LU+XPSKU\'DYLGFRQGXFWHGH[WHQVLYH ¿[HGDUWVXFKDVPRVDLFVDQGZDOOSDLQWLQJV UHVHDUFK LQ WKH WK FHQWXU\ DQG LQ ZHUHKDUGWRPRYHFRPSDUHGWRWKHPRGHUQ 6HOLP$XJXVWSXEOLVKHGWKHUHVXOWVRIKLV GD\ SLFWXUHV RQ RXU ZDOOV 1RZDGD\V ZH year investigation in , FRORUL 3RPSHLDQL. H[SHULHQFHWKH5RPDQZDOOSDLQWLQJVDV 7KH FXUUHQW LQWHUQDWLRQDO JURXSV ZRUNLQJ DUW TXLWH GHFLGHGO\ 7KH SHUFHSWLRQ RI DUW ZLWK PXOWLDQDO\WLFDO PHWKRGV LQ 3RPSHLL GL൵HUHGLQWKHDQFLHQWSHULRGLQDZD\WKDW PDUNDQHQWLUHO\QHZHUDRIUHVHDUFKLQJ ZHZKRKDYHGHYHORSHGRXUVHQVHRIDUW WKH SLJPHQWV LQ 3RPSHLL EHQH¿WWLQJ IURP DQGDHVWKHWLFVWKURXJKWKHWKFHQWXU\ WKHKDQGKHOGLQVWUXPHQWDWLRQHJSRUWDEOH romanticism, might never truly grasp. 5DPDQDQGLQIUDUHGVSHFWURVFRS\DOORZLQJ :KDW ZH QHHG WR DWWDLQ LV WKH 5RPDQ QRQGHVWUXFWLYH PHDVXUHPHQWV RI UHPDLQV WKRXJKWRQWKHGL൵HUHQFHEHWZHHQPHUH LQ VLWX.7KHPDWHULDOVWHOOXVDERXWWKH decoration and art – perhaps this separation TXDOLW\RIWKHZDOOSDLQWLQJVWKHLUPDNHUV is dispensable. Despite many authors claim FRPPLVVLRQHUV DQG SXUSRVH RI WKH ZDOO that O¶DUW SRXU O¶DUW RU DHVWKHWLFLVP ZHUH paintings through the choice of materials. more or less unfamiliar concepts for the 7KHEXLOGLQJVDW3RPSHLLZHUHSDLQWHG 5RPDQV D VRFDOOHG DHVWKHWLF DSSURDFK LQVLGHDQGRXWVLGHZLWKDURXQGPof must have been present. ZDOOSDLQWLQJVFRYHULQJ3RPSHLLRQHYHU\ level: from the advertisement of gladiatorial Institute for European and Mediterranean Archaeology 35 Tuuli Kasso 7KH7HFKQLTXHRI5RPDQ:DOO3DLQWLQJV WKDWD൵HFWHGWKHFKRLFHRIPDWHULDOVDV ZHOO$VWKHOLPHSODVWHULVKLJKO\DONDOLQH Artists employed various techniques of DONDOLQHWROHUDQW SLJPHQWV ZHUH SUHIHUUHG SDLQWLQJWKDWZHUHVSHFL¿FWRWKHW\SHVRI Ancient authors, such as Vitruvius in his materials used, the scale of the painting, and 'H DUFKLWHFWXUD %& DQG 3OLQ\ WKH the level of detail required. Most paintings Elder in 1DWXUDOLV +LVWRULD VWFHQWXU\ began DIUHVFRSDLQWHGZLWKKLJKDONDOLQH A.D.), describe the fresco technique quite WROHUDQWSLJPHQWVPL[HGLQZDWHURQZHW meticulously, and discuss the best pigments SODVWHU)URPWKLVGHWDLOVDQGWKH¿QLVKLQJ WREHXVHGLQIUHVFRHV7KHSRRUGXUDELOLW\ WRXFKHVZHUHDGGHGDVHFFR, on dry plaster. RIFLQQDEDULQIUHVFRHVZKHQH[SRVHGWR 7KLV ZDV GRQH XVLQJ ELQGLQJ DJHQWV VXFK VXQOLJKWDQGPRRQOLJKWZDVNQRZQLQ DVVDSRQL¿HGOLPHDQLPDORUSODQWEDVHG ancient Rome, the red color turning dark JOXHVZLWKORZDONDOLQHWROHUDQWSLJPHQWV over time. Vitruvius comments on treating 7KHUHIRUHWKHWHUPIUHVFR should be FLQQDEDUFRQWDLQLQJ ZDOO SDLQWLQJV ZLWK carefully used, as technically it is a false 3XQLFZD[PDGHE\EOHDFKLQJEHHVZD[LQ H[SUHVVLRQ RI WKH HQWLW\ RI 5RPDQ ZDOO WKHVXQ7KLVKHOSHGWRSUHVHUYHWKHFRORU paintings. In addition to technical matters, WKHGU\SDLQWLQJZRXOGEHEUXVKHGZLWKKRW HFRQRPLFDQGVRFLDOVWDQGDUGVLQÀXHQFHG 3XQLFZD[WKHQVPRRWKHGGRZQZLWKDKRW the artist’s palette. Certainly, the taste of WRRO$¿QDO¿QLVKZDVPDGHZLWKSROLVKLQJ the artist could not map out the choosing of WKHVXUIDFHZLWKOLQHQFORWKV WKH PDWHULDOV FRPSOHWHO\ VLQFH WKRVH ZKR commissioned the paintings must have been 7KHVHFRQGLVVXHZKLFKD൵HFWVWKHIUHVFR ZHOODZDUHRIWKHGL൵HUHQFHEHWZHHQXVLQJ technique is the dryness level of the rare and precious materials over easily plaster. It is fundamental that the painting accessed ones as common earth pigments is conducted on the plaster at the optimum ZLGHO\DYDLODEOHDQGFKHDS VWDWH,IWRRZHWWKHEUXVKSDZVWKHVXUIDFH ,I WRR GU\ WKH SLJPHQWV ZLOO QRW EHFRPH &RQFHUQLQJ WKH WHFKQLTXH RI 5RPDQ ZDOO ¿[HGWRWKHSODVWHU7KHSLJPHQWSDUWLFOHV SDLQWLQJ WKHUH DUH WZR PDWWHUV DERXW WKH DUHRQO\VHDOHGZKHQFDOFLXPFDUERQDWH technique of frescoes that must be addressed IURPWKHOLPHWUDYHOVWRWKHVXUIDFHZLWK )LJ6RXWKZDOODQGSDUWRIWKHHDVWHUQZDOORIWKHRHFXVLQ&DVDGHLSLWWRULDOODYRUR2QWKHOHIW WKHFHQWUHSLHFHRIWKHZDOOLVXQ¿QLVKHGZLWKDORWRIWKHEDFNJURXQGLVPLVVLQJLQFOXGLQJWKHVRFOH RIWKHZDOOV 36 Chronika Hues of Art HYDSRUDWLQJ ZDWHU