We found a match
Your institution may have rights to this item. Sign in to continue.
- Title
Master Narratives and the Wall Painting of the House of the Vettii, Pompeii.
- Authors
Severy‐Hoven, Beth
- Abstract
Scholars have used feminist film theory, particularly Laura Mulvey’s work on the male gaze in twentieth century cinema, to investigate how wall paintings in ancient Italian homes encode relationships of power. Such studies falter, however, when they encounter images which seem to subvert gender hierarchies. Two explanations are provided. Mulvey, drawing upon Freud and Lacan, gives primary weight to gender difference; however, due to ancient Italian practices of slavery, gender may have poorly articulated power relationships within a home. In turn, Carol Clover’s observation of masochism in British and American horror film also provides insight into the pleasures of artistically mediated pain. A case study of images from a house in Pompeii illustrates. The formal compositions of the paintings call the viewer to compare and contrast the scenes, which resonate particularly with Roman slave practices. Images of corporeal punishment and sexualised violence negate the difference between male and female and focus on other means of articulating hierarchy, particularly gods over mortals. The images also please through identification with suffering boundary-crossers, even across genders. The paintings do not so much subvert gender as pleasure the owners as masters.
- Subjects
EROTIC art; ROMAN mythology in art; FEMINIST theory; FRESCO painting; HOUSE of the Vettii (Pompeii); ROMAN antiquities; POMPEII
- Publication
Gender & History, 2012, Vol 24, Issue 3, p540
- ISSN
0953-5233
- Publication type
Case Study
- DOI
10.1111/j.1468-0424.2012.01697.x