Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-07-07
A POMPEIIAN INTERIOR
TOWN HOUSE OF THE FAMILY OF
THE VETTII.
Striking Description of the Country
villa of a WeII-tO-Do Native
After Its Destruction.
From the London Saturday Review.

From the London Saturday Review.
Recent investigation at Pompei, and in
Its ncighhorhood. has been fruitful both in
providing fresh materials for study and ir:
placing our knowledge of the towns archi-
tectural history in better perspective.
Among the most striking results of the eX-
cavations of late years are the town house
of the family of the Vetti and the country
house found near Boscoreale. The Vettii
were family of prosperous business men.
The names of more than one are found on
the tablets Of Caecilius Jucundus the lead
ing local auctioneer. They had acquired an
old house with most admirable picture
gallery. Its principal works were fine and
dignified NEUROLOGICAL subjects set in state
ly panels. But. as has happened elsewhere.
ir the like cases. the new owners continued
the decoration on new principles, with
rough and hasty impressionist scenes, such
as NEUROLOGICAL incidents enacted by moon
light. which harmoniZe Ill with the compost
tions of the painters who by comparison
may be called the old masters.
The Vettii, or their representatives. had
returned after the eruption. and eXcavated
for what they could find. The personal his
tory of the house is therefore less vivid
than that connected with the country villa
of Boscoreale. This also was the house o;
a well-to-do owner chiefly occupied with
Establishment was strictly self-contained,
having the dwelling rooms and the wine
making rooms on two adjacent sides OF a
small court. The house was not remark
able. except for the singular modernity OF
its water supply. 1t depended on the RAIN
fall. which was carefully stored in a lead
ciStern- Thence portion passed to the
ordinary domestic taps. portion passed
to large boiler, from which by an elab-
crate system of cocks the masters private
bath and basin could be supplied at pleas
ure with hot. cold or tepid water. In the
early autumn Of 70 AID the threatening
state of Vesuvius alarmed the household
The vintage was approaching. and the room
which contained the wine presses had been
cleaned and made ready for the new grapes
In particular a reservoir to which the new
wine flowed from the presses was clean and
empty. The room was well protected with
a thick wall. Here. therefore, when flight
was still thought to be unnecessary, or per-
haps when It had already become impos-
sibie, couch and a table. and smaller arti-
cfes. were brought from the living rooms OF
the house. Some man, perhaps the master,
hastily gathered in a cloth his precious col
lection of silver plate, and his hoard of a
thousand gold pieces-varying in date from
the wel-worn coins of the early emperors
to the brand-new mintage of Nespasian.
The lady of the house. marked by her jew
eled earrings, two other men and favorlte
dog also came to the chosen refuge. But
the foul gases were quick in their action.
The master sought safety in the under
ground reservoir, but shared the fate of
lis compa nions. His store of silver plate
lay with him till the other day. 1t now
adorns the Louvre to which 1t was pre-
scented by the liberality of the member OF
the house of Rothschild- One fragment
alone which in his haste he had dropped
near his strong cupboard. and which was
therefore found separately. is now al
Bloomsbury. While this was passing In
doors there was also a moment OF brief
agony outside. The dog by the porter's re
cess was straining his chain when he was
overcome One of the three horses had
broken loose from the stable. The fowls
had huddled together in one corner Of the
yard and the pigs in another. A slave was
trying flight, with his few coins, but had
hardly started before he. too. was sufrocated
by the fumes.