House of M. Lucretius Fronto

The House of M. Lucretius Fronto lies on the east side of the alley of Vicolo di Lucrezio Fronton on the northern part of Via di Nola. The House of M. Lucretius Fronto is located on the edge of the excavated part of the city. This building is one of the most interesting and sophisticated examples of imperial architecture, with breathtaking third and fourth style paintings. Most of the house remains in good state of conservation.

The walls of the corridor (a) are decorated with frescoes of the third style with a dark red central area, divided into panels above the bottom black frieze. The corridor of the House of M. Lucretius Fronto opens into a square atrium (b), which has a central pool with a thin mosaic. The water in this reservoir fell from above through a hole in the roof. The atrium or drawing room, which has rooms on its north side, is decorated with fourth-style frescoes with black panels, separated by yellow decorative lines above the bottom dark red frieze. The panel depicts small hunting scenes. The upper zone consists of geometric and architectural motifs on a black background. A thin marble table stands on the eastern side of the implium basin.

The cubiculum room - bedroom (g) opens from the southeast corner of the atrium. The room with a vaulted ceiling is decorated with frescoes in the fourth style with orange-yellow panels painted in red over the lower decorative red frieze. The side panels on each wall depict figures and two small medallions with portraits of a boy and a girl. The central panels on the north and south walls contain a mythological scene; One is Narcissus in Spring, and the other is Feather and Micon. Instead of the mythological scene, the eastern wall of the cubulum has a large window overlooking the garden. The upper decoration area consists of hanging garlands and fruits.

The second cubulum (e) opens from the south side of the atrium. The fourth-style murals in this room consist of alternating black and yellow panels above the bottom dark red frieze. The central black panel on the eastern and western walls is painted red and contains a mythological scene. Two scenes - the story of Theseus and Ariadne (Princess of Crete, who gave the thread to Theseus and helped him out of the labyrinth after defeating the Minotaur), and the second depicts Venus, the goddess of love. The decoration of the upper zone continues the main theme of the central zone with some additional architectural features.

The triclinium or owner's office (f) is located in front of the house, in the southwest corner of the atrium, between room (e) and a small warehouse. The walls are decorated with frescoes in the fourth style, with alternating yellow and red panels above the bottom black frieze. On the east wall are red side panels depicting figures, and the central yellow panel displays a mythological scene with the image of Orestes killing Neoptolem.