M. Taylor Lauritsen "Ex Fundamentis: The Evolution of Façade Masonry in Pompeii"

Join us for "Ex Fundamentis: The Evolution of Façade Masonry in Pompeii," a lecture by M. Taylor Lauritsen, PhD, Adjunct Assistant Professor in Art History at Portland State University. This talk will explore the development of residential and commercial façade design in Pompeii from the late 3rd century BC to the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in AD 79. Over this period, standardized architectural techniques employed in the Samnite era were replaced by a range of materials and construction methods, a process influenced both by practical considerations and evolving aesthetic tastes. This local transition reflects broader shifts in Roman architectural practice and urban development during the Late Republic and early Imperial period.

This talk is funded through the generosity of the Mary Ausplund Tooze Endowed Visiting Professor of Islamic + Ancient Art Fund, the PSU Art History program, and the PSU Student World Antiquities Guild.

[Photo: M. Taylor Lauritsen]