4Pompeii, Italy
The ancient Roman city of Pompeii, buried by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD, offers some of the oldest and best-preserved examples of fresco painting in the world. These frescoes provide a glimpse into daily life, mythology, and Roman interior decor. The “Villa of the Mysteries” is especially famous for its striking depictions of what many scholars believe to be initiation rites for the cult of Dionysus.
The frescoes in Pompeii are notable for their vibrant colors, including a distinctive Pompeian red, and their use of illusionistic techniques that make flat walls appear to open up into outdoor vistas. While they differ from the grand religious frescoes of later periods, the Pompeian frescoes are essential for understanding the development of Western art.
