Marble Nymphaeum

This marble nymphaeum (4th c.) in the Domus di Amore e Psiche (House of Cupid and Psyche) formed an intimate garden sanctuary where water, sculpture, and architecture interacted. Fluted columns and bright marble revetment evoked the elegance of elite Ostian taste. Such garden installations expressed domestic prestige by recreating the aesthetic of public sanctuaries within a private home.