An Eclectic Lotus Artis: The Casa di Octavius Quartio at Pompeii

This dissertation re-examines the Casa di Octavius Quartio in terms of its decoration, its ownership, and its place not only in Pompeii, but also in the wider sphere of Roman domestic architecture. The dissertation seeks to accomplish four main goals: to describe more fully the sculpture and surviving fresco decoration from the house; to delineate the decorative function of the painting and sculpture; to attempt a reconstruction of the meaning of this house's art collection; and to correct some of the errors made by previous scholars. The dissertation details the decoration of the Casa di Octavius Quartio, comprised of seven frescoed rooms and more than twenty statuettes in marble and glazed terracotta. The significance of this decoration lies in its status as a compendium of the major subjects present in most decorative schemes of the homes of well-to-do Romans of the early Empire in Italy. The frescoes and sculpture represent the catholic taste of Roman elite patrons and demonstrate the artistic syncretism that combined Egyptian and Greek prototypes. References to exotic lands, Greek epic, Latin literature, the theater, Isiac religion, hunting, and the Dionysiac thiasos are among the allusions in this house's painting and sculpture. The wide variety of themes is significant for it underscores the inherent eclecticism in all of Roman art and demonstrates the desire of Roman patrons to decorate their homes with diverse subjects. Through comparative analysis of archaeological remains and literary sources, this dissertation reveals that making a multiplicity of references in domestic decorative ensembles was preferred by Pompeian homeowners. The Casa di Octavius Quartio can serve as a primer for the catholic iconographical tastes of the time. This dissertation includes an appendix detailing all the finds from the Casa di Octavius Quartio---information that has not been published before. More than 140 photographs, plans, and diagrams illustrate the dissertation; more than half the photographs are new ones taken by the author.