the unswept floor
I could not believe my eyes when my professor showed my art history class this Roman mosaic circa the 2nd century B.C.E. Located in Pompeii, the decorative piece remains only because it was preserved by the same volcanic ash that destroyed the city.
The mosaic was inspired by the aftermath of a wild upper class dinner party, where it was de riguer to throw remnants of food onto the floor. I’ve always been fascinated by trompe l'oeil – one of my all-time favorite pieces of furniture is Jacqueline Kennedy’s wardrobe in her White House dressing room (see here, too). Apparently, the Romans loved trompe l’oeil as well. It’s strange to think that those of ancient civilizations were just like us.
When I buy my dream home, I’m going to commission an artist to paint this on my kitchen floor. I’ll keep you posted.
