The Etruscans
The Etruscans
Three periods of Etruscan History:
 Villanovan Period – 9th -8th centuries BCE –
similar to Greek Geometric Period in art
 Orientalizing Phase – 750 – 575 BCE –
Etruscans reach height of their power
 Archaic Period – 550 – 350 BCE –
Coincides with Greek Archaic Period;
heavy Greek influence; most artwork from
this period
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The Etruscans
The Etruscans are the first historic people in
Italy
 Etruscan writing has still not been deciphered
 Etruscan religion was very similar to Egyptian
and Greek; they were polytheistic and shared
same gods as the Greeks but they had a strong
belief in the afterlife like the Egyptians
 Most Etruscan art is funereal.
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The Etruscans
Etruscan Art characteristics:
 Heavy use of bronze and terracotta
 Humans not always in proportion – not
concerned with ideal forms
 Many mythological themes: animals,
heroes, and gods
 Most art is related to funerals, tombs and
after life themes
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The Etruscans
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Apollo of Veii
6th century BCE
Veii, Italy
Done in terracotta,
easily sculpted but
also delicate
Masterpiece of
Etruscan Art
From top of temple
The Etruscans
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Portrait of a Boy
300-100 BCE
Chiusi, Italy
Boy appears to be
looking away towards
a far away land
Etruscans were
famous for their
bronze work done in
the lost wax method
The Etruscans
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Capitoline Brutus
300 BCE
Rome, Italy
Considered to be done by
Etruscan artists who were
skilled in bronze work
although it represents a
famous Roman
An early hero of the
Republic, not the same
person who killed Julius
Caesar
The Etruscans
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L’Arringatore (The
Orator)
Early 1st Century BCE
Perugia?? Italy
Aulus Metellus is the
name of the man
Although the work is
Etruscan, the style
and clothing are
completely Roman
Etruscan Art
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Etruscan Temple
Reconstruction
7th century BCE
Throughout Etruria,
central Italy
This is an artist
reconstruction – based on
descriptions from Roman
sources, coins and tomb
paintings
Etruscan. Plan: an Etruscan temple. ca. Seventh
century BCE.
Etruscan. Plan and reconstruction model of an Etruscan
temple.
ca. Seventh century BCE.
Tumulus
from Cerveteri, Italy
7th to 2nd centuries B.C.E.
Etruscan tombs resembled homes and
businesses in many details
Etruscan Art
Tomb of the Reliefs
 3rd Century BCE
 Cerveteri, Italy
 Richer people could
afford sculpture in
their tombs – here is
the tomb of a
blacksmith – note the
reliefs of swords,
armor, shields, etc
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Etruscan Art
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Tomb of Hunting and
Fishing
520 BCE
Architecture/painting
Tarquinia, Italy
Interior of tomb from
necropolis –
continued belief in
similarity in life and
after life
Etruscan Art
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Sarcophagus of
Married Couple
520 BCE
sculpture
Cerveteri, Italy
Made of terracotta,
coffin of a married
couple – Etruscans
believed after life was
same as this life
Etruscan Art
She- Wolf
 500 BCE
 Rome, Italy
 Typical Etruscan
example of bronze
animals – the twins
were added in the
Renaissance – this is
now the symbol of
the city of Rome
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Etruscan Art
Etruscan Art - Tombs
Etruscan Art
The end . . .
 Next Lecture …
 The Romans
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