Tags
Art, Art History, British Museum, Fresco portrait of the baker Terentius Neo and his wife, Herculaneum, Life and Death, Mug, Museums, Pompeii, Pompeii and Herculaneum Exhibition, Souvenirs, Ted
The “Fresco portrait of the baker Terentius Neo and his wife” has been one of favourite works of since I first laid eyes on it in a book called, simply, “History of Art“, published by Parragon back in 2002, where it is described as “THE BAKER AND HIS WIFE” (the book suggests the chaps name is Paquius Proculous, but I’ll leave that one for the academics to sort out). Why do I like it? Perhaps it is because the fresco depicts a marriage of equals, a partnership in which Terentius isn’t afraid to seen standing beside wife bearing the trappings of education together (Mrs. Neo holding the writing tablet and Terentius holding a scroll). Of course back in 2002, as a 22 year old art college drop-out looking for romance, and now, as a hard working bachelor fast approaching 30, it is very easy to idealise married life. Bachelorhood does have one or two advantages though; you can clutter the house up with mugs you never use for starters!