La ‘Tomba dell’architettura illusionistica’ a Cirene: un’interpretazione locale del c.d. II stile

Tomb S64, or the Tomb of the Illusionistic Architecture, is an exceptional monument recently discovered by L. CHERSTICH in the Southern Necropolis at Cyrene (Libya). The tomb is composed of two rock-cut rooms, an antechamber and the actual burial chamber. Except for the ceiling, the antechamber, possibly used for ritual banquets, is decorated with paintings. On the eastern side of the antechamber the wall paintings are designed as a pseudo-architectural composition, of which the scheme has not been clarified yet. The wall paintings on the western side of the antechamber however represent a painted illusionistic portico seen in perspective, with figures and objects between the columns. In general, the wall paintings of Tomb S64 could be categorized as the Hellenistic ‘Painted Architectural Style’, but they are in fact definitively more advanced than those and resemble what is usually labelled as ‘Pompeian Second Style’. The sophisticated architectural and pictorial choices executed in the tomb are a unique example in Cyrenaica so far and offer new elements for the discussion on pictorial styles. These wall paintings indicate the high cultural background of the tomb owners and of the pictor/pictores, who planned and executed this decoration. In addition, they testify to the creative interaction between the conformity to the figurative repertoire of the Hellenistic koinè and the local traditions