The Palace and Park: Its Natural History, and Its Portrait Gallery, Together with a Description of the Pompeian CourtLatham, R. G. (Robert Gordon)
History
The Palace and Park: Its Natural History, and Its Portrait Gallery, Together with a Description of the Pompeian Court
Latham, R. G. (Robert Gordon)
Crystal Palace (Sydenham, London, England)
From this point, the “Peristyle” is also visible, with its columns
coloured red some way up, a Xystus or flower-garden, and a back wall,
upon which are curious specimens of perspective decoration, in which the
Romans seem to have delighted. This court was always open to the sky in
the middle. Passing through the “_tablinum_,” and turning to the right,
we come to a small doorway which admits us into the “_triclinium_,” or
winter dining-room. The Roman dining-room generally contained three
couches, each large enough to hold three persons. In feeding, the Roman
was accustomed to lie on his left side and to stretch out his hand
towards the table in order to serve himself. Re-entering the
“Peristyle,” we proceed on our way, still to the right, and pass a
summer triclinium used in warm weather, on the walls of which fruits are
painted, some hanging in golden clusters on a wreath of foliage,
supported by Cupids. Next to this is the “_porta postica_,” or back
door, and adjoining it a small recess, which served as kitchen. Crossing
the “Peristyle,” near one end of which is the domestic altar, we turn to
the left, and after passing a small chamber, the “_vestiarium_,” or
dressing-room, reach the “_balneum_,” or bath-room--that chamber so
essential to the luxurious Roman. Close to this is the _æcus_, or
saloon, and beyond this again, and corresponding with the
“_triclinium_,” is the “_thalamus_” or bed-chamber of the master of the
house. Quitting this, we once more gain the “_atrium_” by means of
narrow _fauces_, or passages, and return to the Nave, through the door
of the house at which we originally entered. The visitor has seen the
extremes of decorative art, when, after sating his eyes with the profuse
and dazzling embellishment of the Alhambra, he has also dwelt upon the
delicate work of colours gracing the walls of Pompeii. From the gallery
above the visitor may see the form of the ancient tiled roof made of the
peculiar tiles still occasionally used in Italy. This court was erected
by Mr. Digby Wyatt. The paintings were executed under the
superintendence of Sig. Giuseppe Abbate, of the Museum, at Naples. The
mosaic floor was manufactured by Minton from drawings after antique
Mosaic by Mr. Wyatt; and the bronze groups in the _tablinum_, and the
Venus in the _lararium_, were electrotyped and presented by Messrs.
Elkington and Co.
NATURAL HISTORY DEPARTMENT.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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