Pompeii Fresco Fragment with Nilotic Landscape - Art Print

This captivating fragment transports us to ancient Egypt through Roman eyes. Dating from 1-79 CE, it captures a mysterious Nilotic scene where a crocodile approaches a small figure in a boat, possibly a pygmy, while thatched huts and colonnaded bridges frame the background. The piece reflects the fascinating "Egyptomania" that swept through the Roman Empire after the 1st century BCE.
We love how this artwork tells multiple stories at once. The exotic Egyptian imagery served various purposes for wealthy Romans - from displaying cultural sophistication to invoking fertility symbols connected to the Nile's annual floods. Some scholars suggest the small figure represents the marvelous and mysterious nature Romans associated with Egypt. This beautiful tempera on plaster fragment now resides in the J. Paul Getty Museum collection.