I certainly got a taste of what happened August 24,AD 79 ; the day Mt. Vesuvius erupted!
The Museum of Science in Boston features over 250 priceless artifacts in this compelling exhibit portraying the life and death of this once thriving city- Pompeii. This exhibit is rich with facts, frescoes, bronze and marble statuaries,gold coins and other dazzling examples of ancient Roman artistry.
What I learned on this day, was how a volcano, as disruptive as it can be, can also preserve. I mean, I sort of knew it, but never saw it. This made it all so much more real for me.
I especially enjoyed viewing the exhibits depicting how sophisticated and enriched they were back then by the jewelry, cosmetic jars and the actual tools that were used to cleanse the body; prior to soap. The gold worn was so deep in tone and the shapes rather primitive. The piees reveal their love of jewelry.
The elegance they created so long ago- I find so inspiring! I am sure to be influenced by this in my own Nymph creations as a result. I loved the cosmetic jars- some tin, some bronze.
The tools they used to cleanse their bodies are called strigiles. In the era before soap, Romans cleansed by applying a mixtyure of oil and gritty pumice, then used a strigil to scrape it off- much like shaving with a blunt edge. A dip in a warm bath would rinse away any remaining grime. Sounds weird but the graceful shapes make the cleansing process such an art.
On a more macabre side of things, I honestly could not peel my eyes away from the body casts of the vicitims of the volcano. Most of the citizens evacuated before the blast, but those fleeing to the waterfront were killed and frozen in time.
The body casts are made of polyester resin from the original molds of the citizens in their final moments. The bodies of people and animals were smothered by ash and had disintegrated, leaving cavities in the hardened ash.
The preservation process by the archeologists poured liquid plaster into the voids creating the detailed casts of lives in their last moments. This exhibit just awe struck me. I will post some photos, which could be disturbing to some. I am sorry, but just find this whole thing compelling.
I am sharing and writing about this because I was so moved. I mentally observed what struck me, and began to figure out why. My life's journey is a product of past influences. My Italian heritage spoke to me as I experienced the exhibits. Some disturbing, some beautiful. For the love of the Romans, and history I feel and acknowledge to this day, how fortunate we are to have such amazing references to relate ourselves to as personally as we wish.
The romans love art, shapes, vases, urns, containers a games. This may be the innate love of how I began my career over 30 years ago. With products. Fine gifts, jewelry and the like. This excursion filled me and with it I bring my experience to you. The urns above are carved alabaster and blown glass.
Back from the past and into the reality of an autumnal Sunday, I begin to look around me at the natural beauty that I have admidtedly taken for granted and wish no longer to do so. Nature. How riveting.
The grace of the swan. The natural beauty of the water, and the reflections in it, to me is breathtaking. In order to get a closer look and experience, bread is thrown to the magnifcent swan- and like magic, he comes.
and so do his friends.
What a way to end a day. An educational one, a moving one and a peaceful one.
I hope you enjoyed the excursion I took you on. Stay tuned for what is next !
Yours in joy,
Dava