The Architectural and Landscape Frescoes of Boscoreale at the Archaeological Museum of Naples in Italy

An idyllic and sacred landscape: Boscoreale, Villa di Agrippa

Idyllic sacred landscape Fresco – Water-based pigments on coating (195 × 123 cm) 11 BC

This fresco depicts an idyllic and sacred landscape.

It was discovered in the town of Boscoreale, situated approximately six kilometres west of Pompeii.

At the bottom of the fresco, against a black background, is a floral decoration.

At the foot of the large central tree lies the entrance to the temple’s sacred precinct, consisting of a semi-circular pedestal with a wall on one side and a column on the other.

This pedestal is adorned with shields and vases.

Idyllic sacred landscape Other shields are attached to the trunk of the tree.

We can see a woman entering the sacred opening of the pedestal.
At the foot of the pedestal stands a shepherd, leaning on a staff, whilst his dog offers him its paw.

Other figures are present in the scene, as well as bronze braziers, set on tripods, on either side of the pedestal.

We also note that the entrance to the pedestal is connected to a covered bridge spanning a river.

In the background, we can make out tall cliffs.

Idyllic and sacred landscape, Boscoreale, Villa di Agrippa

Idyllic sacred landscape Fresco – Water-based pigments on coating (303 × 325 cm) 11 BC

This bucolic and sacred landscape is reminiscent of the previous fresco.

It actually adorned the walls of the same villa, the Villa Agrippa, in Boscoreale.
In the background, one can make out imposing cliffs and a boundary wall or garden wall on the right-hand side.

In the centre stands a large tree.

Behind it, on the left, we can see a circular building decorated, like the column in the foreground, with shields.

On the right-hand side, we can see two temples.

Idyllic sacred landscape The first appears to be topped by a cross, but it is more likely to be a sculpture, as this fresco dates from 11 BC

Any reference to Christianity is impossible, given the date on which the fresco was painted.

At the foot of the large column topped by a large vase sits a crowned priestess holding a long staff.

Unless she is not a priestess, but simply a sculpture representing a goddess, as she rests on a pedestal.

It could be Artemis, holding a spear.

Idyllic sacred landscape A shepherd is leaning against a small column topped with a vase, and one of his hands rests on a staff.

He keeps a watchful eye on his goats grazing nearby.

On the right-hand side of the fresco, we can see two women and, behind them, a smaller figure, barely sketched out.

They are standing on a bridge spanning a river, providing access to the opposite bank, where the temples and the shepherd are located.

At the base of this bridge stands a square column topped by a statue.

Landscape with sacred buildings, Boscoreale, Villa of Agrippa Postumo, interior view

Fresco – Water-based pigments on Coating (188 × 131 cm) 11 BC

Landscape fresco depicting sacred buildings, Boscoreale, Villa of Agrippa Postumo, Archaeological Museum of Naples

Landscape and sacred buildings This fresco, like the previous ones, adorned the walls of the Villa Agrippa in Boscoreale.

It depicts a sanctuary built on a hill around a large fig tree growing right in the heart of the temple.
Shields and an imposing goat’s head hang from the temple’s columns and at the top of the structure.

In front of the entrance to this rustic temple stands a large fountain.

At the foot of the temple, we find the shepherd already depicted in the two previous frescoes, once again resting his arm on his staff.

In front of him, a woman and her maid are preparing to climb the steps leading to the holy place.

The woman is holding a long torch in her hand.