Peintures et stucs d’époque romaine. Études toichographologiques. Colloque de l’AFPMA, Bordeaux 2021

This twelfth volume of Pictor, an AFPMA series, is the publication of the proceedings of the thirty-third annual AFPMA colloquium held at the Musée d’Aquitaine in Bordeaux. The book primarily covers current archaeological research on painted and stuccoed decorations. France is unsurprisingly the most represented, with the pot-luck of excavations or new studies taking us this time to Vendeuvre-du-Poitou, Périgueux, Bourges, Noyal-Châtillon-sur-Seiche, Néris-les-Bains, Murviel-lès-Montpellier, Beauvais and Avignon. Italian, Spanish and Swiss sites are also presented, some of which are well known, such as the tomb of the Scipios in Rome. Stuccoed decorations occupy a significant place in this volume, with in particular a synthesis on north-eastern Spain. Architecture is also particularly honoured with investigations on masonry (Bourges), building (Vendeuvre-du-Poitou) and decorating techniques (Marina di San Nicola, Italy).

Two ambitious conservation-restoration studies are also presented for the paintings of Boscoreale and the Narbo Via museum – two formerly restored ensembles that pose highly specific problems.

Finally, iconography has its place, with subjects carried over from one volume to the next. The amorous encounter in Pompeian painting is this time illuminated from the angle of desire and its violence, while the exploration of exhibition objects that began with the study of mask display stands continues with a study of frames and paintings.

We also return to the now well-known second style paintings of Arles to investigate the motif of the harpist and its meaning.