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FRESCO FROM THE HOUSE OF THE VETTII, 62-79 CE. POMPEII A brilliant example of late Fourth Style painted illusion designed to artificially expand a small space. The artists relied on clever visual tricks and a top-to-bottom progression from light to dark. At the pinnacle, a bright white background serves as the sky behind spindly fictive architecture. Below this, three large yellow-ochre panels dominate the middle ground, their borders subtly curved to suggest luxurious draperies stretched tightly across the void. Behind the lower halves of these faux cloths sits a solid wall of rich red cinnabar, while the lowest register grounds the composition with a heavy black dado decorated with reeds. By layering these elements, the painters successfully push the physical boundaries of the room back into a deep illusory space. In the centre, a tiny vignette grounds us with a peaceful scene of xenia, featuring domestic poultry pecking near a small stepped altar.