Washington, DC's National Gallery of Art’s most recent exhibit, Pompeii and the Roman Villa: Art and Culture around the Bay of Naples offers an incredible glimpse into the rich and magnificent culture of the ill-fated Roman city of Pompeii. At the exhibit entrance a copy of a mosaic of a chained dog and the words Cave Canem which in Latin means "beware of the dog" greets visitors.
One of the most compelling portions of the exhibit is the rendition of the rooms of a typical villa. There is a luxurious sense to all of the statues and fountains that populate the garden as well as the beautiful frescos that adorn the walls. Additionally, the jewelry is lovely and invokes a true sense of the cultures love of beauty and aesthetics.
If you go, allow at least an extra 30 minutes to watch the documentary film that examines the explosion of artistic activity around the Bay of Naples beginning in the first century BC.
Pompeii and the Roman Villa presents some 150 works of sculpture, painting, mosaic, and luxury arts, including recent discoveries on view in the U.S. for the first time and celebrated finds from earlier excavations. This is a must see exhibit for anyone who loves the history of Pompeii and the beauty of Roman art.
GENERAL INFORMATION
Exhibit Dates: October 19, 2008-March 22, 2009
10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Saturday
11 a.m.-6 p.m. Sunday
Closed Dec. 25 and Jan. 1
National Gallery of Art
600 Constitution Ave. NW
Washington, DC 202-737-4215
