New Lecture Series: “Nyon in Colors” Was a Great Success

On Thursday, September 24, nearly 60 people gathered at the Ferme du Manoir for the first lecture in the “Thursday Archaeologists” series. Alexandra Spühler, the new curator of the Roman Museum of Nyon, took the audience on a journey through the colors of antiquity, from the frescoes of Pompeii to the painted decorations of Colonia Iulia Equestris.

The techniques, materials, and craftsmanship of ancient painters were at the heart of this event, which focused on how the Romans decorated their homes. By presenting the work of a Swiss team that has been studying the fresco fragments from the “House of the Painters at Work” in Pompeii since 2018, Alexandra Spühler offered a behind-the-scenes look at archaeological research and the various stages involved in creating a painted decoration.

The conference also highlighted Nyon’s cultural heritage. The fragments of painted plaster found in Nyon bear witness to the richness of the decorations that adorned the residences of the ancient city. Studying them allows us to reconstruct some of these colors, which have since disappeared, and to better understand Roman interiors.