Fresco of Mars and Venus, House of the Ephebus
Fresco of Mars and Venus, 1st century AD, on the West wall of the North portico, painted on a water filter tank servicing the fountains, in the Casa dell Efebo, or House of the Ephebus, Pompeii, Italy. This is a large, sumptuously decorated house probably owned by a rich family, and named after the statue of the Ephebus found here. The fresco depicts Venus and Mars with Cupid holding a canopy over them, in a mountainous setting. It is painted in the Fourth Style of Roman wall painting, c. 60E79 AD, a complex and Baroque style. Pompeii is a Roman town which was destroyed and buried under 4-6 m of volcanic ash in the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD. Buildings and artefacts were preserved in the ash and have been excavated and restored. Pompeii is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Picture by Manuel Cohen
