1

Chapter 9Italy Before the Romans:

The Art of the Etruscans

Gardner’s Art Through the Ages, 12e

2

Italy in Etruscan Times

3

Goals

• Identify the geographic area of the Etruscan people.

• Examine the possible origins of Etruscan art and culture.

• Understand how and why the architecture and art of the Etruscans is different from that of the Greeks.

• Understand the funerary customs of the Etruscans.

4

• Fibula with Orientalizing lions: ca 650-640 BCE

5

Etruscan ArchitectureModel of a Typical Etruscan

Temple6th BCE

6

Etruscan Funerary Sculpture

Sarcophagus from Ceveteri ca. 520 BCE

7

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

Cerveteri Tomb

8

Tarquinia: Tomb of the Leopards

9

Tarquinia Tomb of the Leopards

10

Capitoline Wolf• What evidence is present for the

influence of the Greeks and Romans in the Etruscan art?

• What is the importance of the Capitoline Wolf?

500-480 BCE

11

Chimera of Arezzo

• 1st half 4th cen BCE

12

Ficoroni Cista

• Late 4th cen BCE

13

Porta Marzia, Perugia – 2nd cen. BCE

14

Sarcophagus of Lars Pulena from Tarquinia

Early 2nd cen BCE

15

Early & Late Etruscan Sculpture

16

Discussion Questions

Where do you believe the Etruscans originated? Why is their origin not known?

What does Etruscan wall painting tell us about Etruscan life? How is this different from the wall paintings of the Egyptians? of the Aegean cultures?

What aspects of Etruscan art and architecture is unique to them?