This painting shows Venus on a half shell with Cupid and a nereid on a dolphin. The Venus is described as having curls, a billowing shawl and golden jewelry. It is on the rear wall of the peristyle.
In the roman single-family domus home (as opposed to an insula or villa) the house was divided into the atrium and peristyle. The peristyle held the private areas of the home and was centered on a colonnaded outdoor area.
For comprehensive information on Pompeii, see The Fires of Vesuvius, by Mary Beard.
