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Chapter 9The Etruscans

Gardner’s Art Through the Ages,

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Italy in Etruscan Times

The Etruscans

• People who inhabited the central part of Italy (Tuscany is named for them) and were wiped out by the Romans

• Little is known about their origin

• During the 7th and 8th centuries BCE, because of seafaring skills, became avid traders. They controlled most of northern and central Italy by the 6th century.

• Cities coexisted but did not share a common government, making them vulnerable to invasion

Etruscan Architecture• Etruscans sought inspiration from the Greeks

• Resembled Doric and Ionic Temples - but had wooden columns and roof and walls were sun dried bricks

• Columns only on front of building resulting in a large porch

• Operated as ornate home for grand statues of their gods

• Columns were non-fluted, more widely spaced.

• Had three cellas: one for each of their chief gods: Tinia, Uni and Menrva

• Terracotta statues were placed on top of the roof - not in the pediment

• Terracotta -

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Figure 9-3 Model of a typical sixth-century BCE Etruscan temple, as described by Vitruvius. Istituto di Etruscologia e di Antichità Italiche, Università di Roma, Rome.

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Figure 9-7 Plan of the Tomb of the Shields and Chairs, Cerveteri, Italy, second half of the sixth century BCE.

Tombs were designed just like Etruscan homes

There were beds, chairs, framed doorways, and even windows.

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Figure 9-8 Interior of the Tomb of the Reliefs, Cerveteri, Italy, third century BCE.

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Figure 9-9 Interior of the Tomb of the Leopards, Tarquinia, Italy, ca. 480–470 BCE.

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Figure 9-4 Apulu (Apollo), from the roof of the Portonaccio temple, Veii, Italy, ca. 510–500 BCE. Painted terracotta, 5’ 11” high. Museo Nazionale di Villa Giulia, Rome.

Displays energy and excitement that characterize Etruscan art

Come from the Portonaccio temple where it adorned the roof

The god confronts Hercle for possession of the Ceryneian hind, a beast with golden horns sacred to Artumes, sister of Apulu

The figures extraordinary force, huge swelling contours, gesticulating arms, fanlike calf muscles and animated face are distinct features of Etruscan sculpture

Cervetri Sarcophagus• Husband and wife sharing a banqueting couch is

uniquely Etruscan

• Symbiotic relationship - man has protective gesture around the woman; the woman feeds the man; reflects the high standing women had in Etruscan society

• Cast in four sections and is monumental in size but only contained the ashes of the deceased

• They are animated.

• The legs are only summarily modeled and the transition from waist to torso is an unnatural L shape

• The focus is on the animated faces and gesticulating arms

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Figure 9-5 Sarcophagus with reclining couple, from Cerveteri, Italy, ca. 520 BCE. Painted terracotta, 3’ 9 1/2” X 6’ 7”. Museo Nazionale di Villa Giulia, Rome.

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Figure 9-10 Diving and fishing, detail of a mural painting in the Tomb of Hunting and Fishing, Tarquinia, Italy, ca. 530–520 BCE. Detail, 5’ 6 1/2” high.

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Classical and Roman Etruscan Art

The Capitoline Wolf

• Larger than life, hollow-cast Bronze

• The she-wolf, that according to legend, nursed Romulus and Remus after they were abandoned

• When they became adults Romulus slayed Remus.

• Romulus founded Rome on April 21, 753 BCE

• Was created for Roman Republic by an Etruscan artist.

• The suckling infants were added by Renaissance sculptor, Antonio Pollaiuolo

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Figure 9-11 Capitoline Wolf, from Rome, Italy, ca. 500–480 BCE. Bronze, 2’ 7 1/2” high. Musei Capitolini, Rome.

Chimera of Arezzo

• Found in 1553 and admired during the Renaissance

• Greek monster - lion’s head and body and a serpent’s tail and a second head of a goat grows from the lion’s left side

• The goat’s neck bears a wound from Beller-ophon a Greek hero who slew the beast

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Figure 9-12 Chimera of Arezzo, from Arezzo, Italy, first half of fourth century BCE. Bronze, 2’ 7 1/2” high. Museo Archeologico Nazionale, Florence.

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Figure 9-13 NOVIOS PLAUTIOS, Ficoroni Cista, from Palestrina, Italy, late fourth century BCE. Bronze, 2’ 6” high. Museo Nazionale di Villa Giulia, Rome.

Cistae - cylindrical containers for a woman’s toilet articles

A popular gift during this time

The engraving depicts a scene from the Greek story of the Argonauts in search of the golden fleece

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Figure 9-14 Porta Marzia (Gate of Mars), Perugia, Italy, second century BCE.

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Figure 9-15 Sarcophagus of Lars Pulena, from Tarquinia, Italy, early second century BCE. Tufa, 6’ 6” long. Museo Archeologico Nazionale, Tarquinia.

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Figure 9-16 Aule Metele (Arringatore), from Cortona, near Lake Trasimeno, Italy, early first century BCE. Bronze, 5’ 7” high. Museo Archeologico Nazionale, Florence.

Another example of Etruscan bronze-casting expertise

Aule Metele was only an Etruscan by name - he wears a Roman toga and high laced boots which signify he is a Roman magistrate

His aging face and close-cropped hair resemble Roman portraits produced during that time - showing Rome’s dominance of the former Etruscan city-states