Wild Animal Frescoes at the Archaeological Museum of Naples in Italy

Nilotic scene with pygmies, Pompeii, Casa del Medico

Fresco - Water-based pigments on Coating (75 × 127 cm) 55-79 AD

The Pygmies inspired Roman artists, whether in wall paintings or mosaics.

Nilotic scene with pygmies There are many representations of pygmies in Pompeii, as here in the Casa del Medico.

There is even a parodic version of the Judgement of Solomon, in which all the characters, including Solomon himself, are pygmies.

The owner of the Casa del Medico's interest in the pygmy people probably prompted him to have this other scene painted, in which these little characters fight against wild beasts from the Nile.

The scene takes place around an islet on which stands a small temple.

Nilotic scene with pygmies pygmies fight various wild animals from the Nile, whether from the islet or from boats.

A hippopotamus is engulfing a pygmy who was on a boat.

Another pygmy has jumped on his back and is attacking him with a spear.

Below the hippo, three pygmies are struggling to drag a crocodile from the Nile to the bank.

One of them even climbed on the reptile's back, using reins to steer it.

To the left, a pygmy is attacking another Nile crocodile.

Cupid, Panthers and architecture, Stabiae, Villa di Arianna

Fresco - Water-based pigments on Coating (28 × 41 cm) 10-37 AD

Cupid fresco, Panthers and architecture, Stabiae, Villa di Arianna, Archaeological Museum of Naples

Cupid, Panthers and architecture This fresco differs from the usual scenes in its subject matter, which combines love with felines and architecture.

It features a pair of panthers with Cupid holding the reins.

The little Cupid flies above them and has fun dispensing love to this pair of felines.

The panther in the foreground is a female with udders swollen with milk while her yellow male turns his head towards her in love ?

Panthers, Pompeii, tombeau di Mamia

Panther fresco, Pompeii, Mamia tomb, Naples Archaeological Museum

Panther Fresco - Water-based pigments on Coating (21 × 47 cm) 1-37 AD

These two frescoes depicting panthers, one looking to the right and the other to the left, both come from the tomb of Mamia, located in Pompeii.

A rather original decoration for a Roman tomb.

Panther In the original layout of the frescoes on the tomb, the two panthers faced each other.

The two panthers are seated on their hind legs.

They are depicted against a light blue background bordered by a thin white line and a wider, darker red border.

Lions attacking deer, Pompeii, Insula Occidentalis

Fresco - Water-based pigments on Coating (31 × 97 cm) 55-79 AD

This predella, depicting lions attacking deer, was discovered in Pompeii.