The Four Styles of Pompeian Wall Painting

In 1892 August Mau came up with a classification that broadly categorized four distinctive periods in Pompeian wall art covering about 150-200 years. They called First, Second, Third and Fourth Style respectively

First Style

The first style is called Incrustration style and daated from 150-90BC and was indentified by Vitruvius as ome made up of colored blocks. It was an illusory style which sought to built up a stucco relief resembling marble and its is likely that this style was imported from Greece. Molded details could include pediments, capitals and door frames.

Examples can be found at the House of the Faun, House of Sallust