The Economics of Pompeian Painting

Abstract

This contribution by Domenico Esposito highlights a form of production of which the results are highly visible in Pompeii but which has rarely been discussed in economic terms: painting. Esposito provides a detailed discussion of the organization of two identifiable painters’ workshops, showing how they operated on a relatively large scale, and worked on several locations in the city at the same time. Interestingly, they also appear to have served different segments of the market, with one workshop predominantly active in elite residences, and the other one mostly focusing on middle-class houses, shops, and restaurants. The chapter evokes a vivid picture of a branch of the economy that, especially in Pompeii’s last years, seems to have been flourishing.

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