The Ancient Art of the Etruscans
A look at the artwork of Etruscan civilization, an ancient Italian society predating Rome.
From: 900 B.C.E. To: 200 B.C.E.
Location: Tuscany, Italy
Who made the Romans Roman? Long before Caesar, the Etruscans built a sophisticated, urban civilization centered in what is now Italy’s Tuscany region. Bridging the worlds of Greece and Rome, the Etruscans introduced many elements of Greek culture to the early Romans, shaping their society in ways that have echoed to the present day. In the 6th century BCE, several Etruscan kings guided Rome on its path to power. They are thought to have introduced Romans to the Greek alphabet, advanced architecture, and the rich artistic traditions we associate with Rome today.
And yet, by 500 BCE, the third and final Etruscan king of Rome had been ousted from the city in favor of a republican government. Etruscan armies, lacking the fabled organization of Rome, soon wilted before the growing kingdom and empire. Within a few hundred years, a wealthy and remarkably egalitarian society had been consumed by its offspring. Their legacy was made even more obscure by the difficulty of their language. Although the Etruscans wrote with Greek letters, their language predates the Indo-European language family, which includes the Celtic, Germanic, Italic, Slavic, and Iranian languages, among many others.
The Etruscans may be gone, but much of their art has survived to modern times. Their works give us a glimpse into their lives and society, as well as how their customs differed from the Greeks and Romans. Perhaps most important of these differences is the prominence of women. Where the Ancient Greeks for the most part kept women hidden in the home, Etruscan women appear to have played an active role in their communities. Etruscan art features loving couples, women in positions of authority, and mixed-gender dining parties, all nearly unheard of in Ancient Greece. This equality, seen as decadence by Greek and Roman scholars, may have contributed to the erasure of Etruria in history.
The rest of this article shares examples of Etruscan art preserved, digitized, and made open to the public by the Metropolitan Museum of Art. They stand as an enduring testament to the skill and creativity of an almost forgotten people well worth remembering.
“This colorful and unusual vase presents an enterprising Etruscan artist's interpretation of an originally Greek shape and type of decoration. The amphora, with its lid, two-part handles, echinus foot, and rays at the base of the body as well as the black-figure technique, depends on Athenian prototypes of the mid-sixth century B.C. The placement of the panels, their subject matter, and the contrast between black and red in the use of color reflect an independent Etruscan spirit.”
“Figural vessels of this sort were popular products of the Clusium Group, but this may be an imitation produced in a South Etruscan center such as Tarquinia. The figure wears an elaborate wreath and jewelry.”
“This statue, perhaps the best-known Etruscan figural bronze in the Museum's collection, was produced at one of the major bronze working centers, probably Vulci or Chiusi. The artist was clearly inspired by archaic Greek korai, votive statues of young women, a connection especially noticeable in the typical frontal pose with right hand extended and left hand holding the garment.”
Finally, this video from UNESCO offers a peek into a necropolis—the elaborate burial sites built for the Etruscan elite.
Further Reading:
Hall, John Franklin, ed. Etruscan Italy: Etruscan Influences on the Civilizations of Italy from Antiquity to the Modern Era. Indiana University Press. 1996.
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