Buried by Vesuvius - The Villa dei Papiri at Herculaneum Hardcover – 16 July 2019

This is an excellent discussion of objects unearthed from the famous "Villa dei Papiri" in Herculaneum -- a seaside villa thought to have been the property of an aristocratic Roman family with a strong interest in Epicurean philosophy. The eruption of Vesuvius in 79 CE buried the villa with its furnishings, artworks, and its library of philosophical texts. Excavations on the site started in the 18th century and immediately caused a sensation in Europe. Continuing excavations and attempts to read those texts from the charred remains of the papyrus scrolls continue to this day. A number of essays give the historical background and context. The "catalog" section also features a number of excellent photographs.

Un volume che ripercorre le fasi più importanti della storia della Villa attraverso la mostra che è stata organizzata al Getty. Un punto di vista più snello nell'approccio allo studio ma sempre molto articolato, strutturato e densissimo. Ottima la sezione dedicata alle schede ampia e dettagliata. Un must have

There was already a very handsome and hefty Getty publication on the Villa dei Papiri by Carol Mattusch published in 2005 so this new one is a bit more up-to-date although nothing really sensational has emerged in recent years. As a tourist destination the villa is something of a disappointment when compared to say the so-called Villa of Poppaea at Oplontis (Torre Annunziata) and the same may be said of the famed library most of which was devoted to the works of the philosopher Philodemus of Gadara, although the story of the various attempts to unravel the carbonized scrolls is fascinating. The great glory of the villa was and is the stunning collection of bronzes that are now housed in the Archaeological Museum of Naples ( I can still remember the strange feeling of awe that came over me the first time I entered the room of the bronzes) and there are splendid photographs of them in this book as well as of the frescoes and mosaics. Although the book is not as big or heavy as the Mattusch one it contains more colour illustrations and many of the photographs of the bronzes and artworks are in larger format so at least visually this new publication may be said to have the edge. But whichever one you plump for, you're unlikely to be disappointed.