ETRUSCAN ART
ETRUSCAN ART
I.
IN THE BEGINNING THERE WERE THE ETRUSCANS
A. Basic Facts about the Etruscans
1. Etruscan civilization was eventually dominated
by and subsumed into Roman Civilization.
Etruscan art and artists were important to
development of Roman Art
2. Lived in central Italy
3. Civilization flourished from 1000 BCE to about 200 BCE.
Contemporaneous to Greeks from Archaic to Hellenistic
Periods.
4. The Etruscan language resembles none other that is presently
known and its origins are uncertain. Only a few Etruscan
words, most of them names and inscriptions, have been
deciphered.
5. Similar gods to the Greeks and Romans (Chart on G-235)
6. Our major source of information about the
Etruscans comes from their tombs which the
Romans left undisturbed and which are in many cases are
buried under modern Italian towns.
7. Love of life
B. Samples of Etruscan art and architecture
1. Etruscan temples
a. No temples presently exist. All we know of them is from
descriptions by the ancient Roman architect Vitruvius.
See Ill. 6-3 Gardner’s for model of 6th C. BCE temple.
b. Resemblance to Greek temples (gabled
roof) but key differences
i. Tuscan columns made out of wood (similar to
Doric but without flutes and having bases.
ii. Superstructure (roof and entablature) made out
of wood
iii. A high podium with steps only from one side – a
main entrance (Greek temples had steps on all
sides)
iv. Columns only on the front side – spaced more
widely apart because of lightness of
superstructure
v. Walls of temple made from sundried brick
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ETRUSCAN ART
vi. No statues in pediment – statues made out of
terracotta place along the roof
vii. THREE cellas, not one
2.
Apulu of Veii (Ill. 6-4, Gardner’s), ca. 510 – 500 BCE
a. Etruscan version of Apollo
b. Would have been placed on the roof of an Etruscan
temple
c. Notice similarities to Archaic Greek art
i. Archaic smile
ii. Geometric treatment of hair, drapery
d. Key differences
i. Clothed – wears stylized drapery
ii. Right foot forward
iii. Clearly in motion
iv. Swirling drapery, not hanging like Greek
archaic period drapery.
v. Made out of terracotta, not bronze
1. therefore needed support column which
also was covered in geometric design
3. Sarcophagus of reclining couple from Cerveteri, ca.
520 BCE, Ill 6-5, Gardner’s, Good for essays about
family and gender.
a. Social Implications
i. Etruscans cremated their dead
ii. Figures represent a married couple
iii. Wife and husband are given a similar status
reflecting the relatively high status of women in
Etruscan society
1. Shocked Greeks
2. Ate with women
3. Women owned property
4. Buried together
b. Stylistic Notes
i. Made out of terracotta
ii. Likely found in a tumulus, Ill 6-6 Gardner’s
iii. Notice lively motion of arms/hands
iv. Cursory modeling of lower half of body, like a
different piece – not interested?
4.
Interior of the Tomb of the Reliefs, Cerveteri, 3rd C.
BCE, Ill 6-8 Gardner’s
a. Accommodate several generations
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ETRUSCAN ART
b. Carved out of tufa (rock) covered with stucco reliefs
and painted.
c. Had stone furniture and accoutrements for living
carved out of living rock.
5.
Tomb of the Leopards, Tarquinia, ca. 480 – 470 BCE.
a. Leopards on guard above banqueters.
b. Banqueters (men/dark, women/light)
c. Similar pose to reclining couple sarcophagus (lively
hands)
d. Joyful, celebratory mood – not somber!
e. Stylistically close to late Archaic Greek vase painting
but more emphasis on nature
6. Tomb of Hunting and Fishing
a. Joy of Life
b. Gardner’s says think of Old Kingdom Tomb of Ti,
painted reliefs but I think Fowling scene from tomb of
Nebamun, New Kingdom, is a better match in feeling.
7. Capitoline wolf, ca. 500 – 480 BCE
a. Bronze portrayal of the she-wolf that, according to
Roman legend, nursed Romulus and Remus, the
legendary founders of Rome
b. She-wolf is totem of Rome. What is the totem of the
USA?
c. Romulus and Remus were added during the
Renaissance
d. Even though Roman themed it was created by
Etruscans because Romans were not artistically
developed: a commission
8. Chimera, first half of 4th C. BCE
a. A triple-bodied monster, “lion before, serpent behind,
she-goat in the middle.”
b. Made out of bronze
c. Sculpture was found in 1533 CE
d. Menacing like Capitoline wolf.
e. Why would Greeks NOT make an imaginary animal
like this?
9. Porta Marzia, 2nd C. BCE
a. Evidence of first use of arched gateways, not just
openings.
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ETRUSCAN ART
10.
Sarcophagus of Lars Pulena
a. Produced in Hellenistic Etruria
b. A realistic human depiction but generic – not a real
portrait of deceased
c. Gloomy outlook of the afterlife in the lower part – the
deceased is depicted being tormented by charuns –
death demons
d. Symptomatic of civilization in economic and political
decline
e. The deceased holds a scroll with his accomplishments in
life
11. Aule Metele a.k.a. Arringatore (Orator), early 1st C. BCE
a. Aule Metele and names of BOTH his parents are
written on the hem of his garment
b. Wears the short toga and high laced boots of a Roman
magistrate. At this point Etruscans became Roman and
Etruscan art became Roman art.
c. Nicknamed the Orator because of his positioning
d. Resembles Roman sculpture of the period
e. Made out of bronze – Etruscan artists were still expert
bronze casters
f. Discovered during Renaissance
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