Mother and Child Fresco in Pompeii May Depict Cleopatra With Caesarion

Summary: A Mother and Child fresco in Pompeii may depict Cleopatra with Caesarion in symbolic poses as Venus in her Genetrix (mother) role with her son, Cupid.

detail of hidden painting of Caesarion-Cleopatra / Cupid-Venus Genetrix in cubiculum of House of Marcus Fabius Rufus in Pompeii; Wednesday, June 20, 2018, 14:19: PericlesOfAthens, Public Domain, via Wikimedia Commons

A hidden Mother and Child fresco in Pompeii may depict Cleopatra with Caesarion in a symbolic representation of the last two Ptolemaic rulers as Venus Genetrix (Venus the Mother) with Cupid.

The presumed portrait of Ptolemaic Queen Cleopatra VII Philopator (Ancient Greek: Κλεοπάτρα Φιλοπάτωρ, Kleopatra Philopator; ca. 69-Aug. 10 or 12, 30 BCE) was painted on the east wall of room 71 and then was hidden at a later date by a painted wall. The earlier and later wall paintings have survived to a height of 2 meters (6.56 feet) and of 1.4 to 1.8 meters (4.59 to 5.9 feet), respectively, in the barrel vaulted room, according to archaeologist Susan Walker (born Sep. 11, 1948) in "Cleopatra in Pompeii?", published in the November 2008 issue of Papers of the British School at Rome (page 35).

The two paintings both exemplify the Second Style of the four styles of Pompeiian wall paintings (page 38). The Second Style dates from its earliest known display, on the walls of the ancient Roman city's Small Theatre, built after 80 BCE, through the first century BCE, as described by the four-style classification's developer, German art historian and archaeologist August Mau (Oct. 15, 1840-March 6, 1909), in Pompeji in Leben und Kunst (page 481; Pompeii: Its Life and Art, page 452). Mau designated the Second Style as the Architectural Style, for its predominant architectural scenes.

The earlier painting's central placement of a female figure, with winged infant on her right shoulder, however, diverges from the Second Style's customary emphasis on architectural elements. With a height of 57 centimeters (22.4409 inches; 0.57 meters; 1.87 feet), the female stands between two partially opened, elaborately paneled doors (page 36).

The later, blocking painted wall continues the architectural scene depicted on the adjacent, south wall (page 38). The whitish-grey jambs of the blocking wall's central door, accessed by the dado's painted, short staircase (American English: stoop), contrasts dully with the earlier painting's vibrant, golden jambs.

The earlier painting's stately female with winged child suggests the Roman goddess Venus and her son, Cupid. The infant male snuggles against the right side of his mother's neck and head and touches her chin with his right hand. The cuddling pose of Cupid on his mother's shoulder signifies Venus in her aspect as Genetrix (Latin: genetrix, "mother, ancestress").

Roman general and statesman Gaius Julius Caesar (July 12 or 13, 100-March 15, 44 BCE) is credited with the first dedication of a temple honoring Venus's aspect as Genetrix. He recognized Venus as the mythical ancestress, Genetrix, of the Julian lineage, gens Julia, who claim descent from Trojan hero Aeneas, son of Trojan prince Anchises and goddess Venus. Caesar placed the temple, which was dedicated Sep. 26, 46 BCE, in his newly constructed square, Forum of Caesar (Latin: Forum Iulium or Forum Julium), which was located in the northeastern sector of central Rome's Roman Forum (Latin: Forum Romanum).

The female figure is adorned with jewellery fashionably styled to Pompeii and Greek Alexandria in the mid-first century BCE (pages 39-40). A trident-shaped earring decorates her left ear, while the winged male infant obscures her right ear. A heavily pendanted gold necklace and a body chain reaching to her hips ornament her neck and torso. Snake bracelets encircle her wrists.

A golden diadem, set with a large, red central gem, bordered with gold balls and positioned above curly, short bangs, conveys her eliteness. A purple mantle, overlain with a transparent, white veil, frames the female's diadem and face as the elegant garments drape her head and shoulders. Her purple mantle recalls the purple toga worn by Julius Caesar during his dictatorship, from 49 BCE to his assassination, March 15, 44 BCE.

The veil's crinkly edges hint at the melon hairstyle that was fashionable among Hellenistic Greek queens and high-status females in the mid-first century BCE. Reminiscent of a melon's ridged skin, the melon coiffure featured curly, short bangs and styled the hair into sections that were pulled into a bun at the nape of the neck.

Portrayals of Cleopatra include depictions of the melon hairstyle. The female figure painted in Pompeii, for example, is likened to the Head of Cleopatra VII, found during the 1783-1784 excavations by Venceslao Pezzolli at the ruins of the Villa of the Quintilii (Italian: Villa dei Quintili), located outside of Rome near the Via Appia Antica (Old or Ancient Appian Way). The villa's bust portrays the last Ptolemaic queen with a melon hairstyle.

If the Pompeiian painting depicts Cleopatra as Venus Genetrix, then Cupid likely represents Cleopatra's first child, Ptolemy XV Caesar Philopator Philometor (Ancient Greek: Πτολεμαῖος Καῖσαρ Φιλοπάτωρ Φιλομήτωρ, Ptolemaios Kaisar Philopator Philometor, "Ptolemy Caesar, Beloved of his Father, Beloved of his Mother"; 47-30 BCE). Known as Caesarion (Ancient Greek: Καισαρίων, Kaisarion, "Little Caesar"), he was fathered by Julius Caesar.

Wall (lower half) in cubiculum of Pompeiian House of Marcus Fabius Rufus hid painting of Cleopatra with Caesarion (upper half); Saturday, March 10, 2018, 09:09: PericlesOfAthens, Public Domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Acknowledgment

My special thanks to talented artists and photographers/concerned organizations who make their fine images available on the internet.

Image credits:

detail of hidden painting of Caesarion-Cleopatra / Cupid-Venus Genetrix in cubiculum of House of Marcus Fabius Rufus in Pompeii; Wednesday, June 20, 2018, 14:19: PericlesOfAthens, Public Domain, via Wikimedia Commons @ https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Venus_and_Cupid_from_the_House_of_Marcus_Fabius_Rufus_at_Pompeii,_most_likely_a_depiction_of_Cleopatra_VII_(5).jpg

Wall (lower half) in cubiculum of Pompeiian House of Marcus Fabius Rufus hid painting of Cleopatra with Caesarion (upper half); Saturday, March 10, 2018, 09:09: PericlesOfAthens, Public Domain, via Wikimedia Commons @ https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Venus_and_Cupid_from_the_House_of_Marcus_Fabius_Rufus_at_Pompeii,_most_likely_a_depiction_of_Cleopatra_VII_(full_view).jpg

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The historicity of historic historiography guy @ArmaOrientalis. "Replying to @rogueclassicist. With Mark Antony, Cleopatra was the first foreign queen to appear on Roman coinage, maybe the inspiration for Caesar to become the first living Roman on coins. The fresco in the House of Marcus Fabius Rufus doesn't just show Cleopatra as Venus, but also Caesarion as a cupid." Twitter. July 25, 2020.
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The historicity of historic historiography guy @ArmaOrientalis. "Replying to @sadistic2BM. Your wrong about the artwork. Above are not only coins minted during each year of Cleopatra's reign, but also Roman marble busts made while she was in Italy in 46-44 BC, including the Pompeii fresco from the House of Marcus Fabius Rufus depicting her and Caesar's son Caesarion." Twitter. July 27, 2019.
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