House of the Venus in Shell, Pompei

The House of the Venus Marina is a domus horne – a dwelling designed for a single family. It is typical of the more conventional dwellings found in Pompei, alongside the larger, more heavily decorated villas owned by the wealthy. More compact and understated than the other notable houses found in Pompei, it is still centred around an atrium and peristyle. This suggests that these features were present in all Roman architecture, and not reserved for the wealthy alone.

The house has earned its name from the spectacular fresco found on the rear wall of the peristyle. It depicts Venus, the Goddess of Love, in an aquatic scene. Reclining on an oyster shell, she is pictured wearing jewellery and a shawl, and has golden curled hair. On either side of Venus, Cupid and a Nereid on a dolphin are pictured. This depiction of Venus, as an aquatic creature, has been recreated in numerous artworks, and is perhaps the image most commonly associated with the Roman goddess, who was widely worshipped in Pompei. Described as the ‘protectress of Pompei’ in inscriptions found elsewhere in the city, it is perhaps ironic that, while much of Pompei was destroyed, her likeness has survived almost entirely intact.