Pompeii, Its Life and Art

About this book

August Mau’s Pompeii, Its Life and Art is a scholarly survey of the Campanian city, first issued in English in 1899 and expanded in a 1902 revised edition. The work opens with a detailed preface that explains Mau’s quarter‑century of field experience, his reliance on original drawings and photographs, and the methodological challenges of reconstructing a site lacking the historical personalities that animate Rome or Athens. The book then proceeds through a systematic outline, starting with the city’s situation and moving through public buildings, domestic architecture, trades, tombs, and art, each chapter supported by plates of photographs, restorations, and plan drawings.

The narrative voice is that of a turn‑of‑the‑century academic, formal yet accessible, blending meticulous description with occasional commentary on the limits of evidence. Its style reflects the rigorous German‑Italian archaeological tradition, mediated by translator Francis W. Kelsey. Readers with a keen interest in classical archaeology, historic preservation, or the visual culture of ancient urban life will appreciate its exhaustive cataloguing, rich illustration, and the careful balance between scholarly detail and broader interpretation.