column

Art and Travel. Introduction and the Ideal Domus Italica.

Roman Architecture, Uncategorized

Watercolor journey with the course Roman Architecture by the Yale University.

I continue the stay-at-home travel Art + Roman Architecture + the city of Rome with Yale’s course Roman Architecture https://www.coursera.org/learn/roman-architecture.

C. 5-1

The next lecture was about residential architecture in Rome and the Roman world. It tells us about domestic architecture in between the 1st century BC and 1st century AD. There is no place where the houses are better preserved than at Pompeii, the great live reference for architects and archaeologists.

The watercolour painting is about a two-story house in Pompeii located on via dell’Abandanza, the so-called street of abundance. The house had open panoramic windows. The ancient architect designed the second floor in such a way that you could enjoy a nice view through the columns of the street and watch people outside while sitting in your dining room. I added a gentle glow of dawn on the horizon to imagine what a spring morning in that house would feel like.  

https://pixels.com/featured/domus-italica-residential-house-in-pompeii-tamara-vitsenkova.html

There is a difference between our current understanding of how we use our homes and the ancient concept of home space. Although we enjoy having friends, family visits in our places, still, the house is our place to get away from work, transportation and schools,  escaping outside life –  as opposed to ancient Romans. For them, home was a place not just to live with their families, but also to do business in the house’s atrium.

This house is example of the early domestic buildings, the part of Roman architecture. It had Domus Italica, an ideal Roman house plan according to the books of Vitruvius, the ancient architecture theoretician. The owners, family, friends and business partners could all benefit of being here. Joie de vivre in French or dolce vita in Italian:)

All roads lead to Rome- Alain de Lille

Bon voyage! Until the next travel:) Stay healthy.

All paintings belong to the author. No image is to be copied without permission.

previous post

https://travelartblog.home.blog/2021/05/14/art-and-travel-daily-life-and-the-eruption-of-vesuvius-watercolor-journey-with-the-course-roman-architecture-by-the-yale-university/

http://tamara-vitsenkova.pixels.com

My favorite art store in Toronto is Deserres at Spadina Ave

https://www.coursera.org/learn/roman-architecture/home/welcome

Painting – Residential two storied house via dell’Abandanza, Roman Architecture

Year of construction 62 AD-79 AD

Address: via dell’Abandanza, Pompeii

Tools used for my painting Watercolour Van Gogh cadmium orange and permanent rose, Albert Durer and Faber Castell watercolour pencils. Paper Acquarello Fabriano, grana grossa rouch watercolour album, 22×30 cm (9 ×12 in.)

Advertisement

Art and Travel. Daily Life and the Eruption of Vesuvius

Artist, Roman Architecture, Uncategorized, Urban sketching, Voyage

Watercolor journey with the course Roman Architecture by the Yale University.

I continue the stay-at-home travel Art + Roman Architecture + the city of Rome with Yale’s course Roman Architecture https://www.coursera.org/learn/roman-architecture.

C. 4-6

This part of Roman Architecture‘s course was about Pompeii’s daily life in general, with many photo references. Pompeii’s streets look very modern with lots of bakeries, wine shops in the residential part of the city. For example, scientists discovered more than 30 bakeries. Few people in ancient Rome could afford to bake bread at home, so most bought it in the bakeries. Millstones for bake and for bay and ovens, that are part of bakeries look exactly as today’s bakeries in Italy. There were many fountains everywhere, for example a famous fountain with representations of the goddess Ceres.

I chose to paint the residential area with BIG pedestrian polygonal blocks of stones. It is a crossing part of the street. They are “talking” to us, telling their ancient stories about Pompeii’s daily life.  If there was torrential rain, and the water piled up, people needed to cross the street without stepping in the water, but how? Romans were ingenious and concerned about their roads and pedestrians.

The stepping stones were placed in the streets so that people could cross the roads during and after the rain. Ancient people could easily walk around and were not afraid to wet their shoes and long dresses, As they continued gathering with friends and families, walking to the city’s centre or theatre, enjoying their daily life.

https://pixels.com/featured/stones-on-the-streets-of-pompeii-daily-life-roman-architecture-tamara-vitsenkova.html

At the same time, these stepping stones were spaced apart far enough so that carts could still pass through the streets easily. The visible ruts that came from the horses and carts, between the stepping stones, show that they had to coordinate the wheels of the cart in such a way that they would span the stepping stones. Ancient Pompeii citizens could easily make their way across that stream by utilizing these stepping stones, “pondera”.

This was a Genius architecture feat with responsible thinking thought about pedestrians. And even when my family walked in the city-museum of Pompeii with its astonishing view and a background of 2 majestic mountains- Vesuvius and Montezuma, we still found ourselves completely astounded by the stepping stones!

All roads lead to Rome- Alain de Lille

Bon voyage! Until the next travel:) Stay healthy.

All paintings belong to the author. No image is to be copied without permission.

previous post

https://travelartblog.home.blog/2021/05/12/art-and-travel-bath-complexes-at-pompeii-watercolor-journey-with-the-course-roman-architecture-by-the-yale-university/

My favorite art store in Toronto is Deserres at Spadina Ave

https://www.coursera.org/learn/roman-architecture/home/welcome

Painting – stones on the Streets of Pompeii -Daily Life, Roman Architecture

Year of construction- 79AD

Address: Pompeii

Tools used for my painting Watercolour raw sienna, permanent rose, Charving vert imperial, Albert Durer and Faber Castell watercolour pencils. Paper Van Gogh National gallery watercolour album, 22×30 cm (9 ×12 in.)

( function () { const contact_forms = document.getElementsByClassName('contact-form'); for ( const form of contact_forms ) { form.onsubmit = function() { const buttons = form.getElementsByTagName('button'); for( const button of buttons ) { button.setAttribute('disabled', true); } } } } )();
Contact artist
Name(required)
Email(required)

Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() );

Art and Travel. Bath Complexes at Pompeii.

Artist, Roman Architecture, Uncategorized

Watercolor journey with the course Roman Architecture by the Yale University.

I continue the stay-at-home travel Art + Roman Architecture + the city of Rome with Yale’s course Roman Architecture https://www.coursera.org/learn/roman-architecture.

C. 4-5

The Bathing culture was a very important aspect of Roman society. Social relations were also developed in those baths with many activities –sport, massage rooms and libraries, but sometimes the Bath complex also had direct access to … taverns:) In ancient Pompeii there were five large thermal baths and each bath could house about 1000 guests at the same time. The thermal baths were not only used to rest the body but the mind as well.

For my watercolor painting I chose one of the best preserved Bath with beautiful and ostentatious decoration, the Stabian thermal bath, painted red, blue and white colors. It was completed in the 4BC with a room that had the “eye” to the sky. It was one of the predecessors to the Pantheon’s roof.  Streams of water fell in the pool directly from the niche in the upper part of the wall. The thermal baths were to help ancient people see and appreciate art! There were beautiful decorations, statues of Giants holding spa wall – everything for the people to enjoy seeing the amazing frescoes on the walls and decorate ceiling.  It’s like “Louvre” of saunas..

https://pixels.com/featured/pompeii-amphitheater-roman-architecture-tamara-vitsenkova.html

The Stabian Bath was one of severance thermal bath complexes in Pompeii, and part of the Roman Architecture development of the early bathing culture. I imagine myself in the beautiful relaxing rooms: In the Frigidarium room, the cold one with dozens of painted Atlantis figures supporting the walls, the Caldarium-hot room, the Tepidarium which was the lukewarm room and the apodyterium which served as the change room. The walls were stuccoed over, with flowering acanthus plants and creatures and animals, humans, Goddesses and Gods flying above:)

It was a wonderful place where people would enjoy their time in the company of friends and family.

https://pixels.com/featured/bath-complexes-at-pompeii-roman-architecture-tamara-vitsenkova.html

All roads lead to Rome- Alain de Lille

Bon voyage! Until the next travel:) Stay healthy.

All paintings belong to the author. No image is to be copied without permission.

previous post

https://travelartblog.home.blog/2021/05/06/art-and-travel-pompeiis-entertainment-district-the-amphitheater-theater-and-music-hall-watercolor-journey-with-the-course-roman-architecture-by-the-yale-university/

You can visit my personal website pages here and find out more about the artwork I am offering in oil and watercolor paintings; purchase canvas prints, framed prints, and more artwork.

My favorite art store in Toronto is Deserres at Spadina Ave

https://www.coursera.org/learn/roman-architecture/home/welcome

Bath Complexes at Pompeii 

Painting – Bath Complexes at Pompeii, Roman Architecture

Year of construction 4BC

Address: Stabian thermal bath, Pompeii

Tools used for my painting Watercolour Van Gogh madler red and Charvin Bleu de France, Albert Durer and Faber Castell watercolour pencils. Paper Acquarello Fabriano cold pressed watercolour album, 22×30 cm (9 ×12 in.)

( function () { const contact_forms = document.getElementsByClassName('contact-form'); for ( const form of contact_forms ) { form.onsubmit = function() { const buttons = form.getElementsByTagName('button'); for( const button of buttons ) { button.setAttribute('disabled', true); } } } } )();
Contact artist
Name(required)
Email(required)

Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_3" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() );