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Theatrical decoration with figures
Artist / Origin: Unknown artist, Pompeii, Italy
Region: Europe
Date: ca. 1st century
Period: 1 CE – 500 CE
Material: Fresco
Medium: Painting
Location: Museo Archeologico Nazionale, Naples, Italy
Credit: Courtesy of Art Resource, NY/Photo by Erich Lessing
Grapevine in the Wind
Artist / Origin: Korean artist
Region: East Asia
Date: Chosôn Dynasty, 16th century
Period: 1400 CE – 1800 CE
Material: Ink on silk
Medium: Painting
Dimensions: H: 31 ½ in. (80 cm.), W: 15 ¾ in. (40 cm.)
Location: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit: © The Metropolitan Museum of Art/Art Resource, NY
Painting played an important role in the homes of both the Roman nouveaux riches living in Pompeii and the yangbang elite of Korea’s Chosôn period. Although the form and style that painting took in each case was very different, it maintained some essential functions across time and geography. Like all art in the domestic sphere, both the Roman wall paintings and the Chosôn hanging scrolls embellished their respective spaces, delighting the eyes of residents and visitors alike. At the same time, they served a sociocultural function, providing information about the cultural values and social status of their owners.