There’s an unusual house on the island of Capri painted
in the same orangey red used in frescoes in the ancient Roman town of Pompeii. When archaeologists
unearthed these frescoes the colour became known as Pompeiian Red. In the late 19th century an American, J.C. MacKowen, chose this shade of red for
his home in the town of Anacapri – la Casa Rossa, the Red House.
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| Casa Rossa, the Red House, Anacapri |
Scientists now believe some of the red frescoes found in Pompeii may have originally been yellow but the pigments changed colour due to interaction with volcanic gases during the eruption of Mount Vesuvius.
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| Pompeii Fresco |
The colour of the Red House is unique but
the museum now housed there holds one more treasure from the ancient Romans:
statues discovered on the bottom of the famous Blue Grotto.
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| Blue Grotto Statues, Casa Rossa |
Both times that I've been to Capri the Blue Grotto was closed because of rough sea conditions. Have you been lucky enough to get inside?
Next: "S" is for Souvenir
Next: "S" is for Souvenir
I love the red house, but I wouldn't want it as a neighbor. Interesting that red might have started out as yellow.
ReplyDeleteOne could easily tire of that colour if you looked at it every day.
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