Integrated methods for reconstructing the decoration and production process of the frigidarium wall-paintings, at the Sarno Baths, Pompeii

This paper explores the potentiality of investigating Roman wall decorations by integrating the visual examination of the technical aspects of wall paintings and plasterworks, to the virtual reconstruction. It also aims at reconstructing the process of making wall decorations and at identifying the decorators, as an occasional group of workers or a properly organized workshop. The frigidarium (i.e. the room with a cold-water pool) in the Sarno Baths was selected as case study, to apply this approach. The presence of several missing parts allowed the observation of the full stratigraphic sequence of paintings and plasterworks. The visual analysis and the identification of the tool-marks provided the necessary elements, to reconstruct the sequence of operations performed by the artisans, during the process of making. Features suitable to identify the contribute of different artisans to the decoration project were also identified. The accurate survey of the preserved portions of decoratio...