Portrait of Terentius Neo and his Wife

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Portrait of Terentius Neo and his Wife
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The Basics

• 52 cm high
• 62-79 AD
• Fourth Style Wall
• From a house attributed to Pacuvius Proculus
• Proculus a baker, but later evidence led experts
  to change house ID to Terentius Neo, a lawyer
• Realistic

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Description
Hair style fashionable 1st century BC
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Artistic Features

• Frontal styles, bodies angled towards each other.
  Head and torso only
• Light and shade careful study of ambient light,
  with highlights and shading giving realism to
  clothing and features
• Skin tones light and dark
• Plain background does not distract

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Conventions
Stylus and tablet appear on other Pompeian
paintings, e.g Sappho. A motif (artictic
convention) which was fashionable 1st cent AD.
May have no connection to subject matter. Way she
holds tablet (diptych), open so he can see what
is written message is that there are no secrets
here
Sappho Portrait
Scroll significant Marriage contract? Wedding
picture?
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Colours
A love of browns and reds
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Style use arrows to match the points to the
painting

• No attempt at idealisation
• With his straggly moustache and beard, large
  crease on his forehead, big ears and rather bony
  features, the young man is no Apollo or Adonis
• Womens grace and elegance contrasts her partner
• One could almost conclude that he is aware he is
  not her social equal
• Nevertheless, with his frank and honest gaze, he
  creates a sympathetic response in the viewer