“The Etruscans, as everyone knows, were the people who occupied the middle of Italy in early Roman days, and whom the Romans, in their usual neighborly fashion, wiped out entirely.” - D. H. Lawrence

Figure 9-1Figure 9-1 Fibula with Orientalizing lions, from the Fibula with Orientalizing lions, from the Regolini-Galassi Tomb, Cerveteri, Italy, ca. 650–640 Regolini-Galassi Tomb, Cerveteri, Italy, ca. 650–640 BCE. Gold, approx. 1’ 1/2” high. Vatican Museums, BCE. Gold, approx. 1’ 1/2” high. Vatican Museums,

Rome. Rome.

Tuscany- heartland of the Etruscans, territory between the Arno and Tiber Rivers, skilled seafarers, never united to form state

Mined iron, tin, copper and silver = prosperous cities/ engaged in international commerce/ produced objects for homes and tombs

Fibula (clasp or safety pin)/ lions influenced by Orient/ repousse/ granulation

Figure 9-2Figure 9-2 Model of a typical Etruscan temple of the sixth century BCE, Model of a typical Etruscan temple of the sixth century BCE, as described by Vitruvius. Romeas described by Vitruvius. Rome

Figure 9-3Figure 9-3 Apulu (Apollo), from the roof of the Apulu (Apollo), from the roof of the Portonaccio Temple, Veii, Italy, ca. 510–500 Portonaccio Temple, Veii, Italy, ca. 510–500 BCE. Painted terracotta, approx. 5’ 11” high. BCE. Painted terracotta, approx. 5’ 11” high.

RomeRome

Archaic Art and Architecture – Early Etruscan

Etruscan Temple: resembles contemporary Greek stone gabled-roofed temples, but had wooden columns and wooden roof and walls were sun-dried brick/ narrow staircase at center for entry/ high podium/ columns front only/ deep porch/ wide overhang of roof/ ornate home for statues of Etruscan gods = three cellas/ place of shelter

Columns: resembles Doric/ wooden/ unfluted/ had bases/ widely spaced

Statuary: narratives/ terracotta/ on peeks of temple roofs

Bright paint/ rippling folds/ motion/ muscles/ animated face = Etruscan style

Figure 9-4Figure 9-4 Sarcophagus with reclining couple, from Cerveteri, Italy, ca. 520 BCE. Painted terracotta, approx. 6’ 7” X 3’ 9 1/2”. Museo Nazionale di Sarcophagus with reclining couple, from Cerveteri, Italy, ca. 520 BCE. Painted terracotta, approx. 6’ 7” X 3’ 9 1/2”. Museo Nazionale di Villa Giulia, Rome.Villa Giulia, Rome.

Women = higher status in Etruscan society/ high degree of female literacy

Sarcophagi – terracotta, monumental size, cast in 4 sections/ contains ashes only, cremation was popular/ image of husband and wife sharing same banqueting couch is uniquely Etruscan

Transition from legs to torso at the waist is unnatural/ focus on upper part of body/ animated faces and gestures with arms and hands

Figure 9-5Figure 9-5 Aerial view of Aerial view of Banditaccia necropolis, Cerveteri, Banditaccia necropolis, Cerveteri, Italy, seventh to second centuries Italy, seventh to second centuries

BCE. BCE.

Figure 9-7Figure 9-7 Interior of the Tomb of Interior of the Tomb of the Reliefs, Cerveteri, Italy, third the Reliefs, Cerveteri, Italy, third century BCE. century BCE.

Figure 9-6Figure 9-6 Plan of Plan of the Tomb of the the Tomb of the Shields and Chairs, Shields and Chairs, Cerveteri, Italy, Cerveteri, Italy, second half of the second half of the sixth century BCE.sixth century BCE.

Tumuli – a tomb in the form of a mound/ had subterranean multichambered tombs carved out of dark local limestone called tufa/ arranged in cemeteries along network of streets = necropolis/ located away from cities of living/ similar to rock-cut Egyptian tombs at Beni Hasan

Carved out of tufa/ brightly painted stucco reliefs/ domestic contents/ connection between houses of dead and those of living

Figure 9-9Figure 9-9 Diving and fishing, mural paintings in the Tomb of Diving and fishing, mural paintings in the Tomb of Hunting and Fishing, Tarquinia, Italy, ca. 530–520 BCE. Hunting and Fishing, Tarquinia, Italy, ca. 530–520 BCE.

Figure 9-8Figure 9-8 Leopards, banqueters, and musicians, detail of mural Leopards, banqueters, and musicians, detail of mural paintings in the Tomb of the Leopards, Tarquinia, Italy, ca. 480–paintings in the Tomb of the Leopards, Tarquinia, Italy, ca. 480–470 BCE. 470 BCE.

Tomb Paintings at Tarquinia-For wealthiest Etruscan families

-Leopards guard interior

-No mythological figures, instead have banqueting couples, men = dark skin, women = light skin/ all figures make exaggerated gestures with unnaturally enlarged hands/ joyful, celebration of life

-Interested in rendering nature

-May have been familiar with Egyptian funerary tradition (Tombs of Ti and Nebamun)

Figure 9-10Figure 9-10 Capitoline Wolf, from Rome, Italy, ca. Capitoline Wolf, from Rome, Italy, ca. 500–480 BCE. Bronze, approx. 2’ 7 1/2” high. Palazzo 500–480 BCE. Bronze, approx. 2’ 7 1/2” high. Palazzo

dei Conservatori, Rome. dei Conservatori, Rome.

Figure 9-10Figure 9-10 DetailDetailRomulus and Remus sucklingRomulus and Remus suckling

Later Etruscan Art

-509 BCE Rome expelled last Etruscan king/ Etruscan dominance of seas ended along with their prosperity/ Etruscan artists continued to produce impressive works, but fewer in number

Capitoline Wolf – most memorable portrayals of an animal in history of world art

Larger than life-size/ hollow-cast/ she-wolf that nursed Romulus and Remus after they were abandoned as infants/ as adults, Romulus killed his brother/ April 21, 753 BCE Romulus founded Rome and became city’s king

Became new government’s totem/ produced by Etruscan artist/ suckling infants added later/ beast is fierce and protective = animal temper

Figure 9-11Figure 9-11 Chimera of Arezzo, from Arezzo, Italy, first half of fourth century BCE. Chimera of Arezzo, from Arezzo, Italy, first half of fourth century BCE. Bronze, approx. 2’ 7 1/2” high. Museo Archeologico Nazionale, Florence. Bronze, approx. 2’ 7 1/2” high. Museo Archeologico Nazionale, Florence.

Figure 9-12Figure 9-12 NOVIOS PLAUTIOS, Ficoroni Cista, from NOVIOS PLAUTIOS, Ficoroni Cista, from Palestrina, Italy, late fourth century BCE. Bronze, approx. Palestrina, Italy, late fourth century BCE. Bronze, approx. 2’ 6” high. Museo Nazionale di Villa Giulia, Rome. 2’ 6” high. Museo Nazionale di Villa Giulia, Rome.

Chimera of ArezzoBronze-casted

Chimera- monster of Greek invention with lion’s head and body and a serpent’s tail

Injured and bleeding, but not defeated

Muscles/ Rib cage/ prepared to attack/ cries out

Cistae- cylindrical containers for a woman’s toilet articles

Made of sheet bronze with cast handles and feet/ elaborately engraved bodies

Popular gifts for living and dead

Narrative- Greek story of expedition of Argonauts in search of golden fleece

Figure 9-13Figure 9-13 Porta Marzia (Gate of Mars), Perugia, Italy, second century BCE. Porta Marzia (Gate of Mars), Perugia, Italy, second century BCE.

Ancient Gates of PerugiaGate of Mars- Voussoirs= archway formed by series of trapezoidal stones held in place by being pressed against one another

First under Etruscans and later Romans – arcuated (arch-shaped) gateways and freestanding (triumphal) arches became major architectural type

Hellenistic inspired pilasters to frame rounded opening/ arches bracketed by engaged columns or pilasters/ sculpted half-figures of Jupiter and sons = reflect new Roman practice of erecting triumphal arches crowned by bronze statues

Figure 9-14 Sarcophagus of Lars Pulena, from Tarquinia, Italy, early second century BCE. Figure 9-14 Sarcophagus of Lars Pulena, from Tarquinia, Italy, early second century BCE. Tufa, approx. 6’ 6” long. Museo Archeologico Nazionale, Tarquinia. Tufa, approx. 6’ 6” long. Museo Archeologico Nazionale, Tarquinia. Figure 9-15Figure 9-15 Aule Metele (Arringatore), Aule Metele (Arringatore),

from Cortona, near Lake Trasimeno, Italy, from Cortona, near Lake Trasimeno, Italy, early first century BCE. Bronze, approx. 5’ early first century BCE. Bronze, approx. 5’ 7” high. Museo Archeologico Nazionale, 7” high. Museo Archeologico Nazionale, Florence. Florence.

In Hellenistic Etruria, sarcophagi made of local stone, not terracotta

Not at banquet/ not with wife/ face is somber/ theme of lower part is not happy- deceased in underworld being attacked/ generic head, not true portrait = indications of economic and political decline in Etruria

Life-size bronze/ magistrate is self-confident/ shows expertise of Etruscans with casting/ looks very Roman- short toga, high laced boots, close-cropped hair/ Etruscan only in name