Research Of Pompeii: House Of The Vettii
The House of the Vettii is in Pompeii, Italy made from cut stone and fresco. This was a wealthy family’s townhome rebuilt in 62-79 CE. The House of the Vettii shows the wealth and status of the Vettii brothers through displays and paintings around the townhome.
The brothers living in this home were freedmen but got their wealth from being wine merchants and bought their status. A painting of the god Priapus hung in the hallway of the house can show Vettii’s goals and motivations for prosperity. The god Priapus portrays fruit plants and gardens in which many wall paintings showed fruit and sexual nature.
After the earthquake in Pompeii, people were looking for a home to live in. The fourth Pompeiian style is reflected in the House of the Vettii. Using the fourth style of the painting, made artworks pictured around the house into galleries which shows the wealth of the owners.
Wealth was important and so was showing social status. Most people got more advantages to being higher in status. Inside the House of the Vettii, two lockboxes were in the vestibulum which may contain valuables. Having these boxes shows the wealth of the House of the Vettii and how it was being used. Different displays around this house such as having paintings and displays portray their status in Italy. In the painting Priapus, he is weighing his own phallus against a bag of money indicating wealth. Nude male artworks were also in the house to symbolize fertility and were placed inside to protect the house. The House of the Vettii also consisted of many designs indicating the wealth and status of this home. Pompeii was also the city of vineyards in Italy and this home shows this by having cupid collect grapes in a wall painting. This building also consists of two large atria which were Roman reception areas. A lot of thought was placed in the design of this home. The constructors made sure there were entertainment rooms for business and not many private rooms. There were only a couple of private rooms which were for the servants and women’s “gynaeceum”. They did not want many private rooms to existing in the house so they did not have a tablinum. The only other private area in the house is the peristyle garden with a fountain and statuary. This was the part of one of the areas which led to interior lighting besides the atrium. Many people also were scared after the earthquake in Pompeii so they left the city. Some stayed and houses were reconstructed for them which is why the House of the Vettii was rebuilt. The scheme of the walls in the house shows the patrons choice which is also shown inside of the dining room in red and black.
The Palazzo Rucellai was built in 1450 CE and in Florence, Italy. Similar to the House of the Vettii, the Palazzo Ruccellai houses the Ruccellai family. Both of these buildings show wealth, status, and importance in the world. High floors in the Palazzo Rucellai was used to indicate fanciness and richness. It also used measure for most parts of the building mostly by using geometric shapes. A lot of thought was also put in this building indicating it was thought processed and made sure to be perfect for the family. The patron of this palazzo was a merchant as well named Giovanni Ruccellai. Unlike the House of the Vettii this was used as a “wedding” building bringing the Medici and Ruccellai families close. During the Roman period, houses of these were constructed for high-class families which is how these two artworks compare to each other. The designs of each house goes also with the time period it was constructed in.
