Painting by Numbers: A Quantitative Approach to Roman Art

Abstract

Scholars of Roman artworks often make general statements regarding how often certain subjects occurred in certain areas within houses (for instance, Bacchus in dining areas, Venus in ‘bedrooms’ or cubicula) without quantifying them. This paper proposes that, where possible, it is important to base analyses on quantifiable information since it ensures a systematic approach based on numerical data, and enables scholars to clearly evidence their conclusions. Representations of Venus in Pompeian paintings, reliefs, and mosaics are used as a case study to demonstrate how such an approach can work in practice, given the nearly 200 representations of Venus in Pompeii. This study applies set criteria to all of these artworks, covering their composition, provenance, and context, enabling a rigorous analysis and quantifiable conclusions. It also enables widely accepted assumptions, which have previously been given without supporting evidence, to be substantiated and, in some cases, disproved.