The ruins of the Temple of Jupiter beneath Mt Vesuvius.
Image: Patrick Greene
Source: Museum Victoria
Museum Victoria CEO, Dr Patrick Greene, is touring his lecture Pompeii and Gold-rich Victoria to four regional centres this August.
The Melbourne Winter Masterpieces exhibition at Melbourne Museum, A Day in Pompeii, recently hosted its 100,000th visitor. This phenomenal interest in the ancient township is nothing new for Victoria, as Dr Greene discusses in his presentation.
Drawing from several months of research, he describes five Victorian-era examples of Pompeian influence – a fountain in Bendigo, a statue in Ballarat, a painting held by the National Gallery of Victoria, decorative techniques at the State Library of Victoria, and 260 specimens of rocks and minerals in the museum’s collection.
As archaeological excavations during the 1800s uncovered treasures from the rubble, curiosity about Pompeii became a global phenomenon. Several additional factors contributed to local fascination in Victoria. Like much of the state's history, it is linked inextricably with the gold rush and the incredible wealth it brought to the young colony. This wealth allowed many Victorians to partake in the Grand Tour of Europe, considered an essential educational and cultural experience for well-bred Europeans. A visit to Pompeii was an obligatory part of the Grand Tour. Upon their return, wealthy travellers were also in the financial position to commission lasting reminders of their encounters, such as the Bendigo fountain.
Those without the benefit of gold fortunes were also touched by Pompeii, since the immigration route often included a stopover at the Bay of Naples very close to the famous site. City-dwellers had access to an abundance of titles about Pompeii in the Melbourne Public Library, and the well-used condition of these books provides evidence of their popularity. Furthermore, the landscape of gold-rich Victoria is dotted with extinct volcanoes, providing a persistent reminder to all of the powerful forces just beneath the earth’s crust.
These links between old gold-mining areas and Pompeii make the regional centres of Ballarat, Castlemaine, Bendigo and Geelong the perfect locations for Dr Greene’s touring presentation. For those interested in attending, contact the venues below. There is also a series of lectures about Pompeii at Melbourne Museum running until 17 September.
Art Gallery of Ballarat
Wednesday 12 August, 12.15 pm
Bookings 03 5320 5858
Castlemaine Art Gallery
Friday 14 August, 11.00 am
Bookings 03 5472 2292
Bendigo Art Gallery
Wednesday 19 August, 10.30 am
Bookings 03 5434 6088
Geelong Art Gallery
Friday 4 September, 11.00 am
Bookings 03 5229 3645