Yesterday saw the opening of the British Museum’s latest exhibition, Life and Death: Pompeii and Herculaneum and from the look of the images it could be one of the must see London events of the year. Though the V&A’s David Bowie exhibition has been stealing the headlines when it come to the capital city’s exhibitions, the volcanic rock encrusted British Museum exhibition has also won over many of the early viewings.
Running between the 28th March 2013 until the 29th September 2013, the exhibition is one of two significant events at the museum with their Ice Age Art still on show until the 26th May 2013. Tickets are available to book online, as well as being available from the British Museum Lobby. Standard ticket prices are £15.00 with 16 – 18 years priced at £12.50, under 16s free, students £12.50, disabled persons £12.50 (assistants free), unemployed £12.50 and National Art Pass tickets £7.50. Tickets are available at https://www.britishmuseumshoponline.org/invt/mexpompeii.
The exhibition sets the scene for the colossal volcanic eruption of Mount Vesuvius in the Bay of Naples in 79AD, bringing both the life and death together to show the time-stamp mark of the catastrophe. With both Pompeii and Herculaneum covered in the volcano’s rock and ash the life, art and massive death toll were preserved for years unseen until it was discovered once again in 1748 as the debris was lifted to find valuable artifacts and treasures.
Now many of the pieces discovered have been brought together under the roof of the British Museum to give the UK the kind of glimpse into the daily life under the Roman Empire that has previously only been possible with a trip to the Amalfi Coast. The exhibition promises to show the parallels of the long lost lives with our own modern day existence as it shows their streets, gardens, bedrooms and dinner tables, as well as some of the stars of the show – including Terentius Neo and his wife in the image below.
It’s been more than twenty years since an exhibition covering the devastation of Pompeii and Herculaneum was featured in the UK, so unless you’re planning a trip to Naples in the not too distant future, this is an exhibition that you’ve got to see.
There will also be a series of specific events to accompany the Pompeii exhibition at the British Museum, including Pompeii Live from the British Museum on Tuesday 18 June, 19.00 where you’ll get the chance to have a live visit to the exhibition from your local cinema – visit https://www.britishmuseum.org/whats_on/exhibitions/pompeii_and_herculaneum/pompeii_live.aspxfor more details – as well as a lecture by Linda Farrar, author of Ancient Roman Gardens, called Life and Art in Gardens on Thursday 18 April, 13.15–14.15. You can book a space for the free lecture at https://www.britishmuseumshoponline.org/invt/mevl1lifart.
