In Stabiano: Exploring the Ancient Seaside Villas of the Roman Elite

“Once the most luxurious corner of the Roman Empire, Stabiano boasted a string of opulent villas overlooking the Bay of Naples where the Roman elite summered, entertained, and conducted business while strolling in elaborate courtyards.”

— Mary J. Loftus, Emory magazine

“[A] magnificent opportunity to experience the fruits of both ancient art and modern archaeology.”

— Donald Dusinberre, EU Jacksonville

“The diverse, surprising set of works by 20 photographers acts as an antidote to ignorance, presenting an alternative to the facile or anachronistic images transmitted by the American media.”

– Kevin J. Kelley, Seven Days: Vermont’s Independent Voice

In Stabiano presented the art objects and artifacts found in four ancient Roman villas located on a bluff overlooking the Bay of Naples. Stabiano (Stabiae in Latin) was a summer enclave for the moneyed elite of the Roman Empire, who competed with each other in establishing lavish country homes with rich furnishings, frescoes, mosaics, stuccos, statues, and other amenities to awe their guests and outshine their political and business rivals. The villas were buried by the famous eruption of Mount Vesuvius, which also preserved the cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum. The long-lost resort village is a recent archeological find, relatively unknown in Italy and the US but as well-preserved as its two Vesuvian neighbors and a fascinating window into the lives and tastes of Rome’s sybaritic beau monde.

The exhibition contained 72 objects—including frescoes, stucco artworks, sculpture, and other artifacts—that showcased the immense size, innovative design, and luxurious decoration of these villas.

In Stabiano was organized by the Superintendent of Archaeology of Pompeii, with assistance from the Restoring Ancient Stabiae Foundation and International Arts & Artists.

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