Pandemic Journal, Day 421

We went to the Legion of Honor to see the special exhibit, Last Supper in Pompeii: From the Table to the Grave – it was worth the trip. The frescos, like this one, were wonderful to see.

I was fascinated by seeing some of the everyday items that were preserved by the eruption – even some food was carbonized and then preserved.

I was amused by seeing this mosaic:

The label describing it says “The fish-sauce maker Scaurus made a fortune from his sauce and became one of the richest people in Pompeii. He bought a mansion and set four of these panels into the floor of its entrance hall””a sign of the pride he took in his trade!”

There was an amphora on display with Scaurus’s label on it – unfortunately, I didn’t get a photo of it and can’t find a good one online. But clearly, it paid to advertise!

My favorite mosaic in the show was this one:

The label says, “The skeleton is death himself, and the message is very clear: Carpe diem ”” seize the day. Enjoy the delights of the banquet while you can.” We took that advice to heart and had lunch in the Museum Cafe.