Pompeii Erich Lessing, Antonio Varone 1996

Pompeii Erich Lessing, Antonio Varone 1996
LOCATED IN THE BAY OF NAPLES AT THE FOOT OF VESUVIUS, THE ANCIENT CITY OF Pompeil PROVIDES A UNIQUE INSIGHT INTO THE WORLD OF CLASSICAL ANTIQUITY; EVER SINCE ITS REDISCOVERY TWO CENTURIES AGO IT HAS HELD A POWERFUL FASCINATION FOR MODERN MAN. ON AUGUST 24TH 79 A.D., A SUDDEN AND DEVASTATING ERUPTION LEFT THE CITY BURIED YET ESSENTIALLY INTACT - UNDER A DEEP LAYER OF VOLCANIC ASH. EXCAVATED AND RESTORED, IT NOW STANDS AS AN ELOQUENT MEMORIAL TO A WORLD THAT WAS LITERALLY LOST OVERNIGHT-AND PARADOXICALLY REGAINED. ANCIENT POMPEII WAS A THRIVING COMMERCIAL PORT AND FASHIONABLE SUMMER RESORT FOR THE WEALTHY ROMAN ARISTOCRACY. THE VESTIGES THAT HAVE BEEN PRESERVED INCLUDE SHOPS, SUMPTUOUS VILLAS WITH GARDENS AND COLONNADES BEARING THE PAINTED PORTRAITS OF THEIR WEALTHY OWNERS, DECORATIVE STATUARY, SILVERWARE, AND SCORES OF FRESCOES AND MOSAICS ON THE WALLS AND FLOORS OF THE HOUSES. IN THIS BEAUTIFULLY ILLUSTRATED BOOK, ANTONIO VARONE AND ERICH LESSING HAVE COMBINED THEIR RESPECTIVE MORE THAN 160 COLOUR ILLUSTRATIONS EXPERIENCE AND TALENTS TO BREATHE LIFE BACK INTO THE BUILDINGS, STREETS AND MONUMENTS OF THIS EXEMPLARY ROMAN CITY. ANTONIO VARONE, VICE-SUPERINTENDENT OF MONUMENTS AND FINE ARTS OF POMPEII, DESCRIBES THE MULTIPLE FACETS OF THIS UNIQUE URBAN COMPLEX AND RETRACES ITS EVENTFUL HISTORY WHILE THE INTERNATIONALLY ACCLAIMED PHOTOGRAPHER ERICH LESSING ILLUSTRATES THE TEXT WITH PHOTOGRAPHS OF OUTSTANDING ARTISTIC QUALITY THAT REVEAL THE QUINTESSENTIAL APPEAL OF THIS EVOCATIVE CITY