Los Angeles daily herald., 1888-01-22
UNEARTHING ROME.
Some Important Work
Recently Done There.
= HOUSE AND ITS FRESCOEs.
The Ancient Wall = Etruscan
Tombs-Christian Art in
q Roman House.

Writing to the New York Times from
Lausanne, Lucy M. Mitchell says;
ssThe great upheaval in modern Rome
caused by the extensive public I'M
provements, the laying out OF new
streets and the regulation of the Tiber,
has brought with it many archaeology
cal discoveries of deep interest, add
ing to our knowledge of the ancient
time, and revealing fresh treasures TO
awaken our admiration, already be-
wildered by the glories OF the Eter-
nal City. Not the least among these
art treasures is the house discovered
in the garden of the Villa Farnesina,
otherwise so widelyssknown for its fres-
Goes from the hand of Raphael. By the
almost miraculous preservation OF
Pompeii and Herculaneum the mod
ern world has been brought lace to
face, as it were, with the life OF the an
clients. In these cities do we espec-
ially obtain vivid impression OF the
extent to which art adorned the COM
mon walks of the people. The gayly-
frescoed walls and marble courts give
ma a picture of the charms which per-
vaded the homes of the citizens, pen
etrating even the humble abodes OF
tha moor The frescoes on the Pala-
tine Hill, long since brought to light,
had shown to some extent that the
same taste in adorning private dwell
ings existed in Rome itself, but the
recent discovery Of this ancient house
in the Farnesina garden furnishes
still clearer witness to the fact. But
while the frescoes in Pompeii, beautl-
full though they be, are evidently the
work of provincial artists, this Roman
house bears witness to the exercise
of talents and skill Of higher order,
as might be expected in the
great capital. The German Arch
geological Society at Rome has
earned the well-merited thanks OF all
lovers of antiquity, and that IN one OF
its most attractive aspects, by pub
fishing in the large and well-executed
tlates of their Monument accurate
and exhaustive reproductions of the
frescoes which still adorn the walls
Of this ancient villa. A word descrlp-
ton seems barren indeed when COM
pared with these eloquent sheets.
Here wealth OF harmonlously
blended color is seen throwing its ex-
quisite veil over plaster and stucco.
Chaste ornamentation, such as in
spired Raphael and the other workers
Of the Renaissance, winds its fasci-
mating tracery over the whole. We
see on the walls borders, friezes,
columns, masks, caryatids, and
the ARCHITECTURAL illusions OF tenn
pie columns and open doors, COM
combined in graceful symmetry,
while the paneling is reserved for
choice mural paintings which would
suggest themes without number for
the artist OF ideal and allegorical sub
jects. These paintings, which are
conceived as held in grand archl.
tectural frame, are Of most varied
themes. One of the largest repre-
sents the infant Dionysius in the
nursing care of the nymphs. Another
gem, representing Aphrodite, her at
tendant perhaps Peitbo, and Eros, is
probably copy of some celebrated
ancient painting, in which the
artist reproduced in Aphrodite's IS
figure the type of ancient idols, as
seen in old terra cottas, a method
familiar also from the paintings o1
Pompei. The beautiful goddess is
]adorned with her polos (castellated
CROWN, and holds the lily in her hand
rs she sits on her throne while she is
being yelled by her attendant behind
her. Winged Eros stands before hel
as if awaiting her commands. Nothing
in the whole range Of Pompeiian wall
painting can awaken the admiration
produced by this work, in which. the
old representation of the goddess with
archaic crown has been transformed
by the artist in the spirit OF the new
life of his time. probably the fourti
century BIC. Other paintings, scenes
connected with worship, the stage
the court and daily life 60 to adorr
the walls of the Farnesina house.
The removal of the buildings ant
the accumulations of ages on tht
Esuuiline and Viminal hills at Rome
has reached the archaeological strats
below the historic city, touching th'
primitive level of the soil. Upon thi
was built the oldest Roman wall, tina
of Servius Tulius, with its agger
which had 10 be removed to MAKE
way for modern buildings. The re
( mains of primitive habitations were tt
be recognized, but, by tar more mani
testify, vast metropolis, the sepulchre
of which appear in groups at intervals
all over the extensive area OF the city
Z comprised by the streets Merulana
st. Martino, Della Statute, the Piazz'
Victorio Emmanuel and the Villi
6pithover, the same zone through
Z which extends the Servian wall. Ii
! none of these ancient tombs, accord
ing to Pigorini, have been found trace
Of cremation. The mode of sepultur
give evidence of extreme antiquity
OF the greatest significance for arch
Rology is the fact that in each tom
Y was found an earthen cup, character
ictic of the prehistoric lake dwelling
and the age OF bronze, existing in tn
valley of the Pc, therefore older tina
the cemetery Of the Via Della Statute
\ which belongs to the first age {
4 iron. This strengthens the opinion {
those who seek to find the origin {
the early inhabitants of Latium in th
people known under the generic nam
Of lake dwellers. Confronted wit
these races, the hoary names of RI
4 mulus and Remus with their vol
nurse become almost our contempo
aries, and ancient Rome seems
modern city. On breaking up til
h Servian wall at point where it wa
intact in its whole height and withor
Any signs of having been disturbed
+ there were sound three tombs
which De Rossi draws special after
4 lion. In one of these was foun
= sarcophagus of terra-cotta divide
ESr.<<> ho1vau the 1nwar of which cor