93. HGW06 Pompeii. Herculaneum Gate West Side.
Villa di Cicerone or Villa of
Cicero or Villa detta di Cicerone.
Linked to HGW15a.
Excavated in 1748/9 and 1763 then filled in again after the removal of the paintings and the mosaics.
Secondo
Ciardiello: Il grandioso complesso, collocato sulla via che conduceva ad
Ercolano, poco distante dalla omonima porta, fu uno dei primi edifici scavati a
Pompei (1 giugno 1748). Dopo una lunga interruzione (1749-1763), gli scavi
furono ripresi nel 1763, continuando in modo saltuario fino al 1778 quando,
dopo aver esplorato e spoliato l’area di tutte le decorazioni e i materiali
ritenuti di pregio, la Villa venne riseppellita e i terreni vennero restituiti
ai proprietari.
Sebbene i
materiali recuperati siano tra i più belli e i più noti dell’area vesuviana, le
uniche notizie relative alle strutture e ai rinvenimenti del complesso
residenziale, tuttora interrato, sono riportate ne Le Antichità di Ercolano (Nota
9) e nei diari di scavo della Pompeianarum Antiquitatum Historia, nei quali è
pubblicata anche la preziosa planimetria redatta dal La Vega (nota 10) che
mostra un’estesa residenza sviluppata su due livelli digradanti verso il mare
dei quali quello posto al piano terra era costituito da un grande peristilio e
da numerosissimi ambienti (Fig. 2). Meno chiara è la composizione del piano
sottostante, esplorato nel Settecento solo in minima parte e caratterizzato da
un ampio criptoportico.
According to Ciardiello: The grandiose complex, located on the road that
led to Herculaneum, not far from the gate of the same name, was one of the
first buildings excavated in Pompeii (1 June 1748). After a long interruption
(1749-1763), the excavations were resumed in 1763, continuing intermittently
until 1778 when, after having explored and stripped the area of all the decorations and materials deemed valuable, the Villa was reburied,
and the land returned to its owners.
Although the recovered materials are among the most beautiful and best
known in the Vesuvian area, the only information about the structures and
findings of the residential complex, which is still buried, are reported in Le
Antichità di Ercolano (note 9) and in the excavation diaries of Pompeianarum
Antiquitatum Historia, in which is also published the valuable plan drawn up by
La Vega (note 10) which shows a large residence developed on two levels sloping
down towards the sea of which the one on the ground floor consisted of a large
peristyle and numerous rooms (Fig. 2). Less clear is the composition of the
floor below, only minimally explored in the 18th century and characterized by a
large cryptoporticus.
Nota 9: AdE, vol.
I e vol. III.
Nota 10: PAH,
vol. II, tav. II. La pianta del La Vega venne inserita da Mazois 1812-1824,
vol. I, pl. XXXVIII in una tavola a colori che comprendeva tutti i rinvenimenti
della zona scavata al di fuori di Porta Ercolano.
Vedi/See
Ciardello R., 2017. Winckelmann e le pitture della villa di Cicerone a Pompei.
2017, p. 185 e nota 9 e 10, p. 186, fig. 2.
In Winckelmann e
l’archeologia a Napoli, 1 Mar 2017. Atti dell’incontro di studi - Università
degli Studi di Napoli L’Orientale, 2019, p. 181ff.
HGW06 Pompeii. Villa di Cicerone or Villa of Cicero. Plan c. 1778 by Francesco La Vega outlining the 46 areas described in the excavation report.
According to PAH,
in the Giornale degli Scavi 1763-1790 of Francesco La Vega this was the “Casa
pseudurbana poco distante dalla Porta della città, e relativamente alla stessa
città verso occidente *. Resta tal fabbrica nel podere del Monastero de'PP.
Celestini della Torre dell'Annunziata, censito ad Ignazio Russo, altramente
Balzano”.
Questa casa vien
detta volgarmente villa di Cicerone. Fu scavata e poi ricoperta. Veggansi i
rapporti dell'Alcubierre sugli scavi della Civita in gennaio 1749.
See Fiorelli G.,
1860. Pompeianarum antiquitatum historia,
Vol. 1: 1748 - 1818, Naples, pp. 102-110, Tab II.
HGW06 Pompeii. Villa di Cicerone or Villa of Cicero. Plan by Mazois incorporating the 1778 plan by Francesco La Vega.
See Mazois, F., 1824. Les Ruines de
Pompei : Premiere Partie. Paris : Didot Frères, pl. XXXVIII.
HGW15 and HGW15a Pompeii, on left. Part of the Villa of Cicero, Pompeii. c.1900. C. and G. Lantern slide published by A. Laverne.
Looking north-west across Via dei Sepolcri, with entrance doorways and peristyle of Villa of Cicero, visible on upper left.
HGW06 Pompeii. Villa di Cicerone or Villa of Cicero. May 2006. Entrance.
HGW06 Pompeii. May 2006. Entrance, looking west.
According to Spano, at the entrance of the villa during a small excavation, two semi-circular walled bases were completely disinterred (from 60 to 90cm high).
These had the remains of red painted stucco on their exterior.
They were probably used to contain plants decorating the entrance of the villa.
Their internal surfaces were coarse and the absence from either of any trace of a water-pipe excluded the idea that these were used as fountains.
See Spano in Notizie degli Scavi, 1910, p.268-9.
HGW06 Pompeii. May 2006. North side of entrance.
According to Spano, found immediately to the left of the shop numbered 7, was a large block of material.
This was found during a small excavation in the area and can be seen on the right of the above photo.
This large square mass of material contained a large circular basin, open above.
This must have collected in the rain water which flowed from the high part of the Villa of Cicero, at the rear.
This basin, which had already been drawn by Mazois, was only entirely emptied of its eruptive material by this excavation.
Finished with sturdy opus signinum, it was formed by an empty cylinder (1.90m deep, and 2.65m wide).
The base was rather concave, and in it (to the south-east) was a distribution channel for the water.
See Spano in Notizie degli Scavi, 1910, p.268-9.
HGW15a Pompeii. May 2006. Villa detta di Cicerone. Entrance.
HGW15a Pompeii. May 2006. Villa detta di Cicerone. Entrance, looking north.
HGW15a Pompeii. May 2006. Looking west from entrance towards peristyle area, now reburied.
HGW06 Pompeii. Found in triclinium on 18th May 1748.
Wall painting of three candelabra with cupids mainly related to the world of Dionysus.
Now in Naples Archaeological Museum. Inventory number 9874.
HGW06 Pompeii. Found in triclinium on 18th May 1748.
Wall painting of a candelabrum with a flying cupid in the central medallion.
Now in Naples Archaeological Museum. Inventory number 8538.
HGW06 Pompeii. Found in triclinium on 18th May 1748.
Wall painting of four candelabra with cupids showing the making of votive offerings.
Now in Naples Archaeological Museum. Inventory number 9869.
HGW06 Pompeii. Found in triclinium on 25th May 1748. Wall painting of flying female figures, also described as Dancers.
Now in Naples Archaeological Museum. Inventory number 9295.
HGW06, Villa of Cicero, Pompeii. Photograph entitled “Painting of a Dancer, Pompei”.
From an album by M. Amodio, c.1880, entitled “Pompei, destroyed on 23 November 79, discovered in 1748”.
Photo courtesy of Rick Bauer.
HGW06 Pompeii. Found in triclinium on 1st June 1748. Wall painting of Satyr playing pipes.
Now in Naples Archaeological Museum. Inventory number 9163.
HGW06 Pompeii. Found in triclinium on 1st June 1748.
Wall painting of a Satyr with a thyrsus on his shoulder and who is walking on a horizontal thyrsus.
Now in Naples Archaeological Museum. Inventory number 9164.
HGW06 Pompeii. Found in triclinium on 18 January 1749.
Wall painting of acrobatic Satyrs with Thyrsi and musical instruments.
Now in Naples Archaeological Museum. Inventory number 9119.
HGW06 Pompeii. Found in triclinium on 18 January 1749. Wall painting of Satyrs playing drums and lyre and dancing.
Now in Naples Archaeological Museum. Inventory number 9118.
HGW06 Pompeii. Found in triclinium on 18 January 1749. Two acrobatic Satyrs.
Now in Naples Archaeological Museum. Inventory number 9121.
HGW06 Pompeii. Picture fragments depicting a satyr on a tightrope, two winged sphinxes and a hanging vase.
Now in Naples Archaeological Museum. Inventory number 8580.
See Ciardello R., La ricostruzione delle decorazioni
dalla Villa di Cicerone a Pompei in AMOENITAS II, 2012, Roma, p. 143, fig. 11.
HGW06 Pompeii. Villa of Cicero, Pompeii. 1762 drawings of twelve acrobatic satyrs now in Naples Museum.
Top row: MANN 9118, 9118, 9118, 9118.
Middle row: 9118, 9119, 9119, 9119.
Bottom row: 9119, 9119, 9121, 9121.
See Antichità di Ercolano: Tomo
Terzo: Le Pitture 3, 1762, Tav. XXXIII,
p. 165.
Photo © Victoria and Albert Museum, inventory
number E.4438-1910.
Top is from MANN 9163
Below it is from MANN 9164.
Bottom left is from MANN 9118 and right from MANN 9119.
HGW06 Pompeii. Villa of Cicero, Pompeii. Photograph by M. Amodio, from an album dated April 1878.
Photograph of a drawing of Satyrs, now in Naples Archaeological Museum. Photo courtesy of Rick Bauer.
HGW06 Pompeii. Found in triclinium on 18 January 1749.
Seven fragments with flying figures with a jug and musical instruments.
Now in Naples Archaeological Museum. Inventory number 9297.
HGW06 Pompeii. Villa of Cicero, Pompeii. Photograph entitled “Painting of a Dancer, Pompei”.
From an album by M. Amodio, c.1880, entitled “Pompei, destroyed on 23 November 79, discovered in 1748”.
Photo courtesy of Rick Bauer.
HGW06 Pompeii. 1862 painting of floating figures found in one of the Villa rooms.
See Niccolini F, 1862. Le case ed i monumenti di Pompei: Volume Secondo. Napoli. Tavolo V.
These match the third figure from the right and the third figure from the left in Naples Archaeological Museum, inventory number 9297.
HGW06 Pompeii. Two Maenads.
These match the central figures on the group now in Naples
Archaeological Museum. Inventory
number 9297.
See Antichità di Ercolano: Tomo Primo: Le Pitture 1, 1757, p. 95, Tav. XVII.
HGW06 Pompeii. Villa Cicero triclinium wall reconstruction. Based on Herrmann's drawing 1904-1931, with graphic reworking of R. Cirillo.
See Herrmann P.,
1904-1931. Denkmäler der Malerei des
Altertums: Serie I. München: Bruckmann, fig. 34.
See Ciardello R.,
La ricostruzione delle decorazioni
dalla Villa di Cicerone a Pompei in AMOENITAS II, 2012, Roma, p. 142, fig. 9.