The present paper introduces a preliminary analysis of a group of fragments of painted plaster and graffiti hosted in a partially excavated semi-underground space near the main sacred area of the ancient Latin colony of Aesernia, located in the present Molise (IT). The findings include a group of fragments decorated with faux marble, probably belonging to the socket; a tripartite scheme with central shrine ascribable to the eastern wall; a set of black monochrome panels separated by fake pillars/pilasters and decorated with garlands suspended ascribable to the southern wall; and finally some fragments decorated with vegetal and floral motivs, probably relevant to the ceiling. After the compositional and stylistic features were analyzed, suggestions that they belong to the so-called transitional style were put forward. The graffiti on depicted fragments at Isernia are about forty. Differences in writing (cursive or capital), in tools used for etching (hard tips, metal or other materials), in technical execution (with varying degrees of accuracy and depth of treatment) reveal the work of several individuals at different times. Their content is various: it’s possible to recognize drawings, letters, numbers, words, and, mostly, names. The image of a man sitting in profile, perhaps a caricature of a local institutional figure (a magistrate? a priest? a military commander?), stands out for the strong characterization and the richness of detail.

La decorazione pittorica dell’ambiente sotto la Cattedrale di Aesernia

CILIBERTO, Fulvia Maria
;
RICCI, Cecilia
2014-01-01

Abstract

The present paper introduces a preliminary analysis of a group of fragments of painted plaster and graffiti hosted in a partially excavated semi-underground space near the main sacred area of the ancient Latin colony of Aesernia, located in the present Molise (IT). The findings include a group of fragments decorated with faux marble, probably belonging to the socket; a tripartite scheme with central shrine ascribable to the eastern wall; a set of black monochrome panels separated by fake pillars/pilasters and decorated with garlands suspended ascribable to the southern wall; and finally some fragments decorated with vegetal and floral motivs, probably relevant to the ceiling. After the compositional and stylistic features were analyzed, suggestions that they belong to the so-called transitional style were put forward. The graffiti on depicted fragments at Isernia are about forty. Differences in writing (cursive or capital), in tools used for etching (hard tips, metal or other materials), in technical execution (with varying degrees of accuracy and depth of treatment) reveal the work of several individuals at different times. Their content is various: it’s possible to recognize drawings, letters, numbers, words, and, mostly, names. The image of a man sitting in profile, perhaps a caricature of a local institutional figure (a magistrate? a priest? a military commander?), stands out for the strong characterization and the richness of detail.
2014
978-3-7001-7658-9
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11695/13809
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