Portrait of Paquius Proculus

The portrait of Paquius Proculus is the name given to a fresco, dated between 20 and 30, found in the casa di Pansa during the archaeological excavations of Pompeii, detached from its support and preserved in the National Archaeological Museum of Naples. It is often reproduced and frequently illustrates tourist documents on Pompeii.

Description

From an unknown author, the fresco depicts a bourgeois couple from Pompeii, probably husband and wife. They are commonly called "Paquius Proculus and his wife", because of an inscription found outside the house. In fact, it would be baker Terentius Neo, as revealed by the graffito discovered inside the house, while the external inscription would be a text of electoral propaganda in favor of Paquius Proculus, elected actually, then, duumvir from Pompeii.

On the fresco, the baker - who owned his pistrinum (flour mill) on via dell'Abbondanza - is shown wearing a toga that marks the rank of Roman citizen. In addition, the physical traits of the two characters drawn would betray Samnite origins, which would explain the desire of ostentation of the two characters. The man squeezes a roll of papyrus, while the woman holds wax tablets suggesting that the man is engaged in public or cultural activities and that his wife is attached to the administration of domestic affairs: Indeed, wax tablets discovered in Pompeii, which still retain traces of registration, all have a commercial and economic character (rental agreements, receipts, sales receipts, credit or debit notes, etc.).