This elaborate Roman couch and footstool were assembled from fragments of colorful glass inlays and skillfully rendered bone carvings. Take a close look at the couch. Most striking are the magnificent lion heads inlaid with glass eyes. On the legs of the couch, you’ll see scenes of huntsmen, horses, and hounds. There is also the figure of Ganymede, the handsome Trojan youth who was abducted by Zeus in the guise of an eagle. Now look at the footstool. Notice the winged cupids carrying horns of plenty. Originally, many of these carved scenes were embellished with bronze details.

The quality of the carving and colored glass inlays suggests they were made for a wealthy individual, or even for a member of the ruling imperial family. Couches like this have been found in funerary contexts, but this one might be from an elaborate Roman villa. Similar glass panels were found at the imperial villa of Lucius Verus, the co-emperor of Rome from A.D. 161 until 169.

In this area of the Roman galleries, you will see a cubiculum, or bedroom, from an earlier villa at Boscoreale. This couch is similar to one that would have been used there, and gives you an idea of the sumptuous décor that accompanied furniture in Roman villas.