34 of 34 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Better Than a Trip to Pompeii, March 3, 2004
This review is from: The Lost World of Pompeii (Getty Trust Publications: J. Paul Getty Museum) (Hardcover)
A few years ago, our son, an art student, decided that Pompeii would be the perfect place to do an architectural dig. He came back with all kinds of strange stories about a stray dog for every excavated room, poor protection for delicate fresco paintings, and incredible heat and dust. Having been fascinated by volcanoes since I was a youngster, that meant that I had to get to Pompeii and see what was up.
Three years ago, the opportunity arose to spend part of a day there during a quick trip to the Naples region while visiting in Rome. I was totally astonished by what I saw. Pompeii is much larger and richer than I would have ever imagined. As I went from fascinating room to fascinating room, I found myself wishing I had months to spend there . . . and someone to explain what I was seeing in much more detail. There is much to pique one's curiosity . . . including the many graphic references to bacchanalia. What was life there really like?
Until I found The Lost World of Pompeii, I had no answers to my questions. I deeply regret that this book was not available to me before visiting Pompeii. Whether you will ever get to Pompeii or not, this book is a must for those who are interested in the story of Pompeii, Roman life and art history.
The book is divided into 7 sections, each of which addresses a different aspect of Pompeii:
(1) The city's destruction through the volcanic eruption of Vesuvius on August 24, 79. The current thinking on the destruction is different from what I was told by more tour guide at the time of my visit.
(2) How Pompeii was rediscovered and excavated (with much work left to be done). This unveils the city and explains the slow development of archeology as applied to the city.
(3) Voices from a Lost World captures what life was like before the eruption. There are also helpful maps and a great top-down view of the site.
(4) The Pompeian House is an excellent explanation of architecture and how homes were used then.
(5) Life and Art looks at what the many paintings and sculptures suggest about the pleasure-seeking life of those who lived there.
(6) The Grand Tour investigates how visiting Pompeii influenced other Europeans during the last three centuries.
(7) The Legacy of Pompeian Style examines some ways that Pompeii became a template for more modern expressions of the architecture and decoration for those who admired the Pompeii look.
The essays in each case told me much more than I knew to ask and were very helpful.
But the greatest strength of the book is in its many wonderful photographs of the current site, art objects and paintings inspired by Pompeii. The book exceeded my expectations of what might be included, and the quality of the images is remarkable. You would have to travel for weeks just to see all of the images captured here.
As I finished reading the book, I found myself wondering how our decorations and entertainments from today could be misleading to people 2000 years from now. Is it possible that abstract art will be confused with religious worship? Will remnants of today's pervasive pornography lead people to think that we lead wild lives? Will soap operas be seen as reflections of daily life?
How, too, are we misreading the Romans? It's interesting to think about.
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15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
Not visually pleasing, October 13, 2004
This review is from: The Lost World of Pompeii (Getty Trust Publications: J. Paul Getty Museum) (Hardcover)
I chose this expensive book to add to my collection of Pompeii books based on the editorial and customer reviews so I was very disappointed when it didn't live up to my expectations. In addition to information about Pompeii, I wanted to see quality photographs of the frescos, mosaics sculpture and architecture. The images included in this book are of poor quality and only half are of Pompeiian artifacts. As for the awful photographs, I'm not sure if the blame lies on the photographer, Chris Caldicott, or the printing press. All the photographs are under-exposed which results in any valuable details being obscured by a mass of black ink. The color of every image is flat and many pictures need color correction to to reduce a distracting orange cast. In addition, the black type-face is difficult to read, especially when printed on a background of dark blue sky.
I am immensely frustrated at the shortcomings of this book because the writing of Colin Amery and Brian Curran Jr. is better than any other I've read about Pompeii. With a major overhaul this book could be really great.
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19 of 22 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A FASCINATING STUDY, January 12, 2003
This review is from: The Lost World of Pompeii (Getty Trust Publications: J. Paul Getty Museum) (Hardcover)
Of all the fascinating sites in the world few have continued to draw as much interest or conjecture as Pompeii. It was on August 24, AD 79 that this well-to-do Roman city located in central Italy fell victim to one of the worst natural disasters ever recorded. Some 20,000 people lost their lives when the volcano Vesuvius erupted and spread hot ash and rock over the city. Pompeii was so buried for centuries to come.
Archaeologists did not begin excavating until 1748 as is revealed in this beautifully illustrated volume, which details the ancient city's history from its beginnings to its fatal ending. An extremely well researched text reveals not only the city's politics and commerce but also everyday life.
Also discussed is the great meaning the discoveries at Pompeii have for art, archaeology and interior design. And, we learn that this work is not over as restoration continues to take place today.
Generously illustrated the volume holds 100 color and 50 black and white illustrations. Those who have an interest in ancient history will find "The Lost World of Pompeii" indispensable.
- Gail Cooke
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