Mood:
sadThe LACMA Pompeii and Roman Villa Exhibit was unfortunately not among my favorites. Unlike the Getty Villa, I wasn't surrounded by almost 100% pure Roman culture. Don't get me wrong, there were some interesting artifacts, but it just wasn't the same... Getting back on track, my assignment was to review a previously chosen topic during our stay at the exhibit. My topic required me to review the effects of the ash from the eruption of Mount Vesuvius on the artifacts that survived. Here are the notes that i came out with:
- Most of the surviving artwork in the exhibit has remained in outstanding condition considered the extremes they were put through. There are some cracks here and there, but is phenomenal for what it is.
- Bronze statues show signs of rust (light blue/green).
- Scratch that, ALL bronze items showed some light to heavy signs of rust.
- Marble remained pristine with some cracks here and there, which is expected from artifacts of this age.
Then here are a couple other observations i made with my extra time:
- Oscilla hung between columns and perstyles. They swayed back and forth in the breeze.
- Majority of people participated in outdoor activities, whether tending the garden, walking in the garden, or having study classes outdoors.
- Bay of Naples disappeared under live groves and vineyards but Pompeii lived on in folk memory until a decade after 1738. News of rediscovery spread throughout Europe.
I do not have an pictures unfortunately. It was tough to find a lot of info on my topic for it was very specific, and the exhibit wasn't that big.
Now that I have shared my experiences directly or indirectly relating to mt. Vesuvius, please feel free to share yours and we can learn from each other. Thanks all!
Posted by trevorsblog
at 1:07 PM EST
