Pompeii. Painted street shrine to twelve gods at VIII.3.11.

 

Painted street shrine to twelve gods on corner of Vicolo dei 12 Dei and Via dell’ Abbondanza at

VIII.3.11 in December 2006.

 

Painted street shrine to twelve gods on corner of insula at VIII.3.11 in December 2007.

 

Painted street shrine to twelve gods on corner of insula at VIII.3.11 in December 2006.

 

Painted street shrine to twelve gods on corner of insula at VIII.3.11 in December 2006.

 

Painted street shrine to twelve gods on corner of insula at VIII.3.11 in December 2006.

 

Painted street shrine to twelve gods on corner of insula at VIII.3.11 in December 2007.

 

Painted street shrine to twelve gods on corner of insula at VIII.3.11 in December 2006.

 

Painted street shrine to twelve gods on corner of insula at VIII.3.11 in December 2006.

 

Painted street shrine to twelve gods on corner of insula at VIII.3.11 in December 2006.

 

Painted street shrine on corner of insula at VIII.3.11 September 2005.

 

 

Painted street shrine to twelve gods on corner of insula at VIII.3.11. Pre-1840 drawing of the Twelve Gods. Discovered in 1818.

Roux describes this painting as executed in a correct but curious way in that it shows the twelve main gods with their attributes.

From the left Roux names them as Venus, Diana, Apollo, Vesta, Minerva, Jupiter, Juno, Vulcan, Cérès, Mars, Neptune and Mercury.

Beneath this painting were painted two serpents.

See Roux, H., 1840. Herculanem et Pompei recueil general des Peintures, Bronzes, Mosaiques : Tome 5. Paris: Didot. (planche 11).

 

Painted street shrine to twelve gods on corner of insula at VIII.3.11. 1852 painting of twelve gods from Pompeiana by Gell and Gandy.

From the left Gell names them as Juno, Diana, Apollo, Vesta, Minerva, Jupiter, Venus, Vulcan, Cérès, Mars, Neptune and Mercury.

He states “Juno has the pomegranate and the blue robe” and “The hair of Venus is different from the rest and her greenish robe more transparent”.

The naming of these two goddesses is the opposite of that put forward by Roux.

Gell identifies the two small figures underneath as “the genii loci”

See Gell, W. and Gandy, J., 1852.  Pompeiana: Third Edition.  London: Bohn.  (p. 198-9, T:77)

Helbig refers to this as very misrepresented and better by A d J 1850.

See Helbig, W., 1868. Wandgemälde der vom Vesuv verschütteten Städte Campaniens. Leipzig: Breitkopf und Härtel. (7)

 

Painted street shrine to twelve gods on corner of insula at VIII.3.11. Drawing of about 1850 of the Twelve Gods..

Fröhlich echoes Helbig’s viewpoint and prefers this drawing of the twelve gods after Gerhard.

From the left Fröhlich names them as Vesta, Diana, Apollo, Ceres, Minerva, Jupiter, Juno, Vulcan, Venus Pompeiana, Mars, Neptune and Mercury.

This again differs from the names given by Roux and Gell.

Fröhlich identifies the two small figures as possibly priests.

See Fröhlich, T., 1991. Lararien und Fassadenbilder in den Vesuvstädten. Mainz: von Zabern. (p.330, F60, T:60,3).