IDNO

T.153046.RPT

Description

View of mosaic from the Villa Romana del Casale showing a geometric motif with depictions of various female figures and of a man and woman kissing. [IJ 24/01/2023]

Place

S Europe; Italy; Sicily; Enna; Piazza Armerina; Villa Romana del Casale [Sicilia]

Cultural Affliation

Named Person

Photographer

Poignant, Axel

Collector / Expedition

Date

1957 - 1958

Collection Name

Poignant Collection

Source

Poignant, Roslyn

Format

Colour Transparency

Primary Documentation

Other Information

T.152858.RPT - T.153307.RPT were located in the drawer file of transparency sheets, numbered C1022/.

T.153044.RPT - T.153059.RPT were located in a transparency sheet, numbered C1022/10.

Bibliographic reference: “Roman exploitation of the countryside is symbolized by the Villa Romana del Casale (in Sicily), the centre of the large estate upon which the rural economy of the Western Empire was based. The villa is one of the most luxurious of its kind. It is especially noteworthy for the richness and quality of the mosaics which decorate almost every room; they are the finest mosaics in situ anywhere in the Roman world.” UNESCO (1997). Villa Romana del Casale. [https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/832/] [Isabella Jakobsen, 08/11/2022]

Bibliographic reference: “For the exceptional richness of its architectural and decorative elements, this late Roman structure has become of highly prominent importance within the programme for the safeguarding and valorisation of Sicilian heritage. […]
The Villa, under UNESCO protection since 1997, belonged to a member of the Roman senatorial aristocracy, perhaps a Roman governor (Praefectus Urbi). Some scholars believe however that it was instead built and expanded on direct imperial commission. Due to its beauty and complexity, it can be considered one of the most important examples of a state residence among its contemporaries in the Roman West. The high profile of its patron is eloquently celebrated through an iconographic programme that was stylistically influenced by the art of the African mosaicists who were called to do the work and unfolds in rich compositions decorating an impressive number of rooms, both public and private in nature.
[…]
Over the course of time, the historical evidence found around the site occupied by the late antique villa increased the interest of many scholars, who began exploring its remains starting in the first years of the nineteenth century and then again in the first years of the twentieth century, with the excavations led by Biagio Pace and Paolo Orsi, up to the major excavation campaign carried out in 1950s and early 1960s by Vinicio Gentili, followed by numerous initiatives targeting the consolidation of the mosaics. […]
Since 2006, the site has been the subject of a systematic restoration and conservation programme […].
The intervention concerns around 3000 square meters of mosaic and opus sectile [marble tiling technique] pavement in addition to numerous polychrome wall paintings, as well as the three-dimensional reconfiguration of the spaces. The formal and material methods that were adopted are different than those of the past, in order to better preserve and make use of this residence, considered one of the most prestigious monumental testimonies to antiquity in the Mediterranean.” Councillor’s Office for Cultural Heritage and Sicilian Identity (2012). Archaeological Park of the Villa del Casale: Introductory Guide, pages 2-4. [https://www.villaromanadelcasale.it/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/guida_042012_ENG.pdf] [Isabella Jakobsen, 08/11/2022]

Bibliographic reference: "The cubiculum [bedroom] with alcove:
[...]
The mosaic here is almost entirely preserved and it can be appreciated in an of its elegant figurative and decorative details. In the main section [...], inside a frame of intertwined ribbons in a cow hitch loop, one can observe an elaborate geometric motif, formed by a pattern with dodecagons, hexagons, and stars. Around the central dodecagon, there are four hexagons, each framed by a wave pattern, containing the bust portraits of the personifications of the four Seasons. Here we can find, in anticlockwise order, [...] Spring with a flowering branch, and Summer, crowned by a wreath of grains.
On the other sides of the dodecagon, there is a series of squares with a distinct motif of intertwining ropes. These squares create large eight-pointed stars, within which yellow laurel crowns on a red background encircle theatrical masks of women characterised by large eyes. [...]
In the centre, inside a green laurel wreath, is one of the most famous scenes of the villa: two youths exchanging a kiss in an amorous embrace. The juxtaposition of seasonal and theatrical images with an erotic scene contrasts the eternal nature of love with the fleeting and continual passing of time. As it is a frequent trope in Roman culture, this scene can also be read as a reminder to be mindful of the brevity of life and to make the most of its opportunities and pleasures when one has the chance. The two lovers have also been interpreted as the mythological figures of Cupid and Psyche, because of the presence of the golden vase being carried by the god in a situla [bucket], an object used in nuptial ceremonies. In fact, the mythological marriage between Cupid and Psyche symbolises the union of the soul with love, which guarantees immortality." Cantamessa, G. (2013) La Villa Romana del Casale di Piazza Armerina. Palermo: Kalós, pages 176-7. [Translated from Italian by Isabella Jakobsen, 08/11/2022]