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| Courtesy Wikimedia |
by Alan Knight
Bathtubs have been symbolic of the so-called “good life” since the days of antiquity. Nero, the infamous Roman emperor who initiated centuries of Christian persecution, probably had one of the nicest bathtubs of them all. It’s on display at the Vatican Museum. Ricky J. McRoskey, who sometimes writes for the Catholic Business Journal, saw it during a visit to Rome.
“This was no ordinary tub. Crafted at the emperor's behest
from some of the heaviest and most expensive marble in the world, the circular
sculpture has a roughly 25-foot radius and weighs thousands of pounds.
Perched on curvaceous stone legs, it's smooth, purple, and gorgeous, and
essentially looks like a colossal birdbath,” McRoskey wrote.
“When I looked at Nero's tub, I couldn't help but marvel at its intoxicating
magnificence, its size, its opulence, and begin to imagine servants filling the
basin with warm water for Nero to bathe in a sea of suds. How amazing, I
thought, would it be to clean off in a bathtub half the size of a
bedroom? How cool would that be? It was so polished, so deft, so
clean, so sleek... So... That's when the word finally came to me: seductive.”
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| Luxurious bathtubs from Tub King. |
Nero wasn’t trying to keep up with the Joneses. He was the
guy other Romans wanted to keep up with but probably couldn’t. According to McRoskey, “One could not take
sight of this tub and not want to bathe in it, or at the very least show it off
to his neighbors. It was indeed beautiful.”
The tub was made of purple marble. Purple was the color of
royalty, and this type of marble was very desirable for its regal appearance.
Purple marble was the hardest available in ancient Rome, and it was prized for
monuments and building projects. The dimensions of Nero’s bathtub are not
available, but from the pictures it appears to be at least four feet in height.
Nero must have had a small ladder to climb in and out of it.
Extravagant bathtubs have symbolic value and people
recognize that. Any man or woman who can spend money on something as frivolous
as a fancy and expensive bathtub would have to be successful and prosperous. Because
of their symbolic value, bathtubs have been used as props in movies for a long
time. There are numerous memorable movie scenes which portray characters living
large as they bathe in their beautiful tubs.
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| Courtesy Wikimedia |
In 1954, iconic sex symbol Marilyn Monroe was filmed taking
a luxurious bubble bath in The Seven Year
Itch. Somehow, she had gotten her big toe stuck in the spout. Happens all
the time, right? The plumber who came to her rescue, a blue collar hero if ever
there was one, nervously dropped his wrench in the tub. He was apologetic as he
reached around in the water to retrieve it. “That’s alright,” Monroe told him.
That scandalous bathtub scene was removed from the film by censors.
In 1964, Cleopatra featured the incomparable Elizabeth
Taylor looking her best in a circular bath made of marble. Although the marble
was probably not as rare and expensive as the purple marble in Nero’s tub, Cleopatra’s
bathtub looked very nice. It appeared to be large enough to fit eight people or
more. There was ample room for Cleopatra’s boat and her other floating toys. In
one decade, the times, and the standards for censorship of bathtub scenes had
changed. Unlike Marilyn’s scene, Liz Taylor’s bathtub scene was not deleted
from the final cut of the movie.
Nearly twenty years later, Al Pacino was featured in a memorable
bathtub scene as the violent drug lord Scarface. The tub looked very similar to
the one in Cleopatra. Scarface was smoking a cigar and seemed to have it all,
including a beautiful wife and a beautiful home with a big beautiful tub. Unfortunately,
he didn’t seem to be happy with all that he had. While he bathed, he chastised
his wife for sitting around all day and told her to get a job as a nurse or
something.
A master bathroom in a typical home could never fit a
bathtub like Nero’s, or Cleopatra’s, or Scarface’s. Fortunately, you don’t have
to be a movie star or a despotic tyrant to take a luxurious bath in a glamorous
tub. You don’t have to spend a fortune to install a beautiful and functional bathtub,
which could be the centerpiece of your bathroom. A tub like the one Marilyn Monroe
appeared in could fit in many bathrooms. You can live large in your own tub in
your own home. Tub King can help.
For example, a traditional rolled top tub can make a
statement without breaking the bank. It brings back the look and feel of
the early to mid-twentieth century. Tubs with cast iron exteriors and
porcelain interiors are available in a wide range of colors from Tub King. Legs
can be finished in chrome, brushed nickel, oil-rubbed bronze, or in colors to
fit any décor. The rolled rim version comes in lengths of 48 inches, 54
inches, 60 inches or 66 inches. These tubs are affordably priced with
models available for under a thousand dollars.
Another popular tub that can add a touch of elegance to many
bathrooms is the Dual Ended tub. It has a gentle slope on each end of the
tub with a center drain and center faucet holes. It provides perfect
balance and comes with a pedestal base or legs in whatever finish the customer
prefers. Finally, the Double Slipper tub is a sight to behold. With a high
back on each end of the tub, the Double Slipper hearkens back to a more
glamorous era, perhaps the Roaring Twenties. At over 72 inches in length, it
can easily accommodate two consenting adults.
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In this article, I discussed Nero’s bathtub, which is on
display at the Vatican. I also discussed several other beautiful bathtubs that
have been used in movies. Those movies include Seven Year Itch, Cleopatra, and
Scarface. I’ve mentioned that a nice bathtub can be an affordable luxury for
homeowners. A beautiful new bathtub can be very affordable with prices starting
under $1,000.
Alan Knight is the owner of Tub King, Inc., and SeniorBathtub.com in Jacksonville, Florida.
He has many years of experience in the antique and
senior bathtub industries. In addition to providing superior products, Tub King
has been honored with “Best of Jacksonville Chamber Awards” for four years
running. If you would like to contact Alan Knight, call (800) 409-3375
or (800) 843-4231; or send an email to alan@tubking.com.
