Pittori e decoratori a Nora in Sardegna. Sistemi lineari e gusto “barocco”

Sardinia has so far remained almost out of the studies on Roman wall painting. However, noteworthy finds were revealed in the ancient town of Nora (Cagliari), which has been the object of an investigation project by many Italian universities. In particular whit regard to the ‘piccola domus’ facing the port (rooms V and Z), the overall review of the decorative context gives us the opportunity for some reflections on the repertoire and taste in use during the Severian age in provincial areas. The prevalence of two-color linear systems, not only as a simplification choice, but also as a way to underline the architecture of the room, is associated with the use of elaborate stucco plastic frames, witnessing the aspirations of the bourgeois class that lived there. An overview of the organization of the domus, together with more recent findings in other areas of the town reveals a variety of themes and styles not easily attributable to a single stylistic and chronological horizon.