Villa of the Mysteries Fresco, Pompeii, Italy — A cycle of life-size figures painted in distinctive 'Pompeii red' covers the walls of this suburban villa's largest room, apparently depicting a Dionysiac initiation ritual. The figures include a winged deity, a flagellant, and a triumphant dancer — the scene's exact meaning remains a subject of scholarly debate.
© Kroelleboelle, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
