Joseph Mallord William Turner

Turner entered the archaeological site of Pompeii from the north-west along the Via dei Sepolcri (Street of the Tombs). The first set of ruins he came to therefore was the Villa of Diomedes, an opulent suburban house and garden first excavated during the years 1771–4, which stands on the right-hand side of the road just outside of the main city walls.1 A flight of steps leads directly from the street into the villa’s inner courtyard which is surrounded on four sides by the remnants of a fourteen columned porch or peristyle. This sketch depicts a view of the south side of the peristyle looking towards the wall which borders the street. An alternative study looking from the opposite direction is folio 2 (D15741), whilst drawing of the gardens can be found on folio 4 (D15473).

For a general discussion of Turner’s visit to Pompeii see the introduction to the sketchbook.