As the title suggests this post is about the Faun, a sculpture that can be found in the ruins of a Roman Villa in Pompeii. Apart from the Faun and a bizarre Roman brothel I recall my visit to Pompeii as walking through an endless organized pile of rocks.

I personally think the Faun is a less known celebrity that deserves more attention.

It dazzles me that in a world where everything is meant to be big, massive if not colossal, for the unprepared visitor, like I was, I couldn’t believe how small he was, a mere 30cm from ground to head. However, despite being small, the Faun is not shy of being the main feature of the courtyard. Below is a sketch I have drawn to better illustrate the human scale.

The Faun was relocated to the centre of an empty feature pool, which together with the conceivable presence of water gives the subtle impression that the Faun is somehow out of reach to the visitor as if he existed in another dimension.

But what impresses me the most is the concept design of the feature pool. When I consider the cost the sculptor may have charged the owner, the logistics to bring the statue to the villa or even the installation of the Faun in the feature pool, everything seems so simple, so efficient and yet it yields so much beauty.

I think the Faun is a true remarkable achievement when we consider how much can be achieved with so little. Simplicity is not easy to accomplish and the dancing Faun may have been an accidental creation, however the end result is so beautiful that I often think this is the feeling my architecture should try to emulate.

Use this link to see a picture of this less known celebrity.