Influence and development
What is Etruscan art-this is a difficult problem for any culture-because Etruscan has never been a single unified country, but a collection of independent city-States, which are both allied and competing with each other, and this fact has become more complicated with the passage of time. Although these cities are very similar in culture, they all make works of art according to their special tastes and whimsy. The fact that the Etruscans were not isolated from other Mediterranean cultures brought another difficulty. Ideas and works of art from Greece and Phoenicia reached Etruscan in the east through the ancient Mediterranean trade network. Since the 7th century BC, Greek artists have also settled in Etruscan, and many Etruscan artworks have the signatures of famous Greek artists. Geography is also a factor. Coastal cities like Cerveteri are more international in population and artistic prospects than inland cities like Chuxi, because they have more opportunities for maritime trade.
Etruscans appreciate foreign art very much, and they can easily adopt ideas and forms popular in other cultures.
Greek art, especially the works of Athens, was highly respected at that time and now, but it would be wrong to think that Etruscan art is just a poor copy of it. Etruscans and Greek artists may sometimes lack the finer vase painting and stone carving techniques possessed by their contemporaries in Greece, Ionia and Great Greece, but at the same time, they also lack other art forms, such as gem cutting, gold ornaments and terracotta warriors and horses sculpture, which shows that Etruscans have more technical knowledge in these fields. Although Etruscans do often tolerate works of lower quality than those accepted by the Greek world, it doesn't mean that they can't make works of art like those in other places.
Therefore, Etruscans appreciate foreign art very much (their graves are full of imported works of art), and they can easily adopt ideas and forms common in other cultures and arts, but they also add their own twists and turns to their traditions. For example, the Etruscans made nude statues of female idols before the Greeks. They uniquely combined oriental themes and themes (especially mythological themes and creatures such as lions that have never appeared in Etruscan) with themes from the Greek world and their own local ideas, which can be traced back to the indigenous villanova culture (about 65,438 BC+0,000 BC-about 750 BC). The Etruscan's predecessor is appropriate. The eternal synthesis of this idea may be best reflected in funeral sculptures. There is a circle of reclining couples on the mud coffin cover. When carefully observing each portrait, it may look like an ancient Greek model, but the body posture of a couple captured by the artist and their feelings are completely Etruscan.
Painting of Etruscan tombs
Perhaps the greatest legacy of the Etruscans is the beautifully painted tombs they found in tarquinia, Cher Vitri, Chuxi and Woolch. These paintings depict Etruscan myths and daily life (especially banquets, hunting and sports), heraldic figures, architectural features and sometimes even vivid and colorful scenes of the tomb owner himself. A part of the wall is usually divided into certain types of decoration: the dado at the bottom, the large central space of the scene, the cornice or tower at the top, and the triangular space, which is also reserved for the painted scene and reaches the ceiling like rushing forward.
The colors used by Etruscan artists are made of organic materials. Until the 4th century BC, Greek artists were influenced by Great Greece and their new method of contrast between light and shade. This new method was very strong, so they seldom used shadows. In Tacuna, artists first draw outlines with chalk or charcoal, and then draw these pictures on a thin layer of plaster. In contrast, many murals by Cerveteri and Veii are painted directly on stone walls without plaster bases. Only 2% graves are painted, so they are excellent examples of conspicuous consumption of Etruscan elites.
The tomb of Francois in woolwich in the late 4th century BC is an outstanding example of art form, which is characterized by duels in Thebes mythology, scenes in Iliad, and scenes between fighting cities and local rivals, including some soldiers with Roman names. Another good example is the misnamed lioness tomb in tarquinia, which was built in 530-520 BC. It actually has two painted panthers and a big reception site, which is interesting because of its unusual checkered ceiling. In the monkey tomb, also located in tarquinia, which was built in 480-470 BC, there is an interesting single painted safe on the ceiling, and four alarms support a rosette with four-leaf plants. This theme will reappear in later Roman and early Christian buildings, but the alarm will be replaced by angels.
Etruscan sculpture
Etruscan is rich in metal resources, especially copper, iron, lead and silver. The early Etruscans made good use of these. Bronze is used to make all kinds of goods, but what we are concerned about here is sculpture. Bronze is hammered, cut, cast by mould or lost wax technique, embossed by various techniques, carved and riveted. Many Etruscan towns have established workshops specializing in bronze works. In order to understand the scale of production, it is said that when the Romans attacked Wolsini (now oviedo) in 264 BC, they plundered more than 2,000 bronze statues and melted them into coins.
Bronze statues, usually with a small stone base, are common forms of dedication in temples.
Bronze statues, usually with a small stone base, are a common form of dedication in shrines and other holy places. Some, such as those found in Fontaine Venezia in Aretium, were originally covered with gold foil. Most of the figurines are women in robes and gowns, and male nudes are like Greek kouroi, armed soldiers and naked youth. Sometimes there are gods, especially Hercules. A common gesture for offering figurines is to raise an arm (perhaps to attract people) and hold an object-usually pomegranate, flowers or round food (perhaps cake or cheese). Excellent examples of smaller bronze works include a statue of a man in the 6th century BC, which comes from Populonia's "Tomb of Bronze Sacrificial Statues". Volterra is famous for its unique bronze statues, which are very tall and slim figures with small heads. They may be relics of early bronze plate carvings or wood carvings, strangely reminiscent of modern art sculptures.
Famous large-scale works include arezzo's Chimera. This can be traced back to the date of the fire-breathing monster in Greek mythology to the 5 th or 4 th century BC, which is probably part of Bellerophon and his flying horse who killed the monster. There is an inscription on one leg, which reads tinscvil or "Gift for Tin", indicating that this is a sacrifice to Tin (also known as Tinia), the leader of Etruscan Pantheon. It is currently on display at the Florence Archaeological Museum.
Other famous works include Todd's Mars, an amazing life-size young man who wore a breastplate and used to hold a spear. On the other hand, he may be pouring wine. It is now in the Vatican Museum in Rome. Minerva of arezzo is actually the representative of Meneva, the Etruscan goddess, equivalent to Athena, the Greek goddess, and Minerva, the Roman god. Finally, the portrait of the bearded man, usually called "Brutu" after the first consul of Rome (without any relevant evidence), is a striking figure. Most art historians believe that this is an Etruscan style work around 300 BC. It is now on display at the Bitolli Museum in Rome.
Etruscan bronze mirror
The Etruscans were criticized by their conqueror, the Romans, as being too weak and fond of partying. A large number of bronze mirrors found in their graves and other places only contributed to this reputation as a great narcissist in the ancient Mediterranean. Mirrors, known as Etruscan Malena or Mastria, were first measured at the end of 6th century BC, and were made in the 20th century BC in the 2nd century BC. The back of the mirror is not only a daily practical item, but also beautifully carved. It is a status symbol of Etruscan aristocratic women and is usually used as part of the bride's dowry.
The reflective surface of the mirror is designed to be held in the hand with a single handle and is made of a highly polished or silver-plated surface. Some mirrors after the 4th century BC were protected by a concave mask connected by a single hinge. The inside of the cover is often polished to reflect extra light to the user's face, while the outside has a hollow relief filled with lead backing. The flat back of a bronze mirror, if not kept flat (as in half the surviving examples), is an ideal canvas for carving decorations, inscriptions and even bas-reliefs. Some handles are also painted or engraved with relief patterns.
Inscriptions around the edge of the mirror usually help to identify the scene and the people in it. Popular themes are wedding preparations, couples hugging or ladies dressing. The most common theme of mirror decoration is myth, and the scene is usually composed of twisted ivy, vines, myrtle or laurel leaves.
Etruscan pottery
The first native pottery in Etruscan was the thick-coated pottery of villanova culture. These relatively primitive vessels contain many impurities in clay and are only fired at low temperature. By the end of the 8th century BC, potters had managed to improve their quality. Small model houses and biconical urns (consisting of two vases, the smaller one as another cover) are common forms for storing cremated remains.
The next type of pottery is red on white pottery. This kind of pottery originated in Phoenicia was produced in Etruscan from the end of the 8th century BC to the 7th century BC, especially in Cherveteri and Vey. Red utensils are usually covered with a white interlayer and then decorated with red geometric or floral patterns. Alternatively, white is used to create a design on an unpainted red background. This type is usually a large storage vase with a small handle cover, and then kraters in scenes such as naval battles and marching soldiers.
In the 7th century BC, Bucciero largely replaced thick-coated porcelain for daily life, funerals and offerings. By turning the wheel, this new type of pottery is fired more evenly, with a unique luster and a dark gray to black surface. There are many kinds of utensils, the most common one is simple, but simple lines, spirals, dotted sectors and other decorations can be carved on the surface. You can also add three-dimensional figures of people and animals. Etruscans are also businessmen in the Mediterranean region, so Bucciero is exported to places outside Italy, as far away as Iberia, the Levant and the Black Sea. By the beginning of the 5th century BC, Bucciero was replaced by finer Etruscan pottery, such as black and red pottery influenced by Greek pottery imported at that time.
An unusual field of pottery making has become a special specialty of Etruscans, that is, pottery roof decoration.
An unusual field of pottery making has become a special specialty of Etruscans, that is, pottery roof decoration. The idea can be traced back to villanova culture, but the Etruscans went one step further and made life-size sculptures to decorate the roofs of their temples. The most impressive survivor in this field was Apollo striding in the Poto Na Qiao Temple in Vey in 5 10 BC. Private buildings are also decorated with clay in the form of plants, palm trees and figurines, and clay plaques with mythical scenes are often posted on the external walls of various buildings.
The Etruscans buried the cremated remains of the deceased in urns or decorative sarcophagus made of clay. Both types can carve the statue of the dead on the lid. As far as sarcophagus is concerned, there are sometimes a pair. The most famous example of the latter is the sarcophagus of a couple from Cerveteri who are now in Villa Julia, Rome. During the Hellenistic period, funeral art really rose. Although the postures of these figures are similar to those of the sarcophagus in the 6th century BC, the depiction of the dead has become less idealistic and more realistic. They usually depict only one person, and were originally painted in bright colors. The Seianti Thanunia Tlesnasa sarcophagus in Chuxi is a good example.
heritage
Etruscans are great collectors of foreign art, but their own works are also widely exported. As we have seen, Bucciero utensils have been found in the whole Mediterranean region from Spanish to Syrian. Etruscans also traded with tribes in Central and Northern Europe, so their works of art reached Celtic sites in modern Switzerland and the German Alps. However, Etruscan art had the greatest influence on their close neighbors and general cultural inheritors, the Romans. Rome conquered Etruscan cities in the 3rd century BC, but they were still independent artistic production centers. However, works of art do reflect the taste and culture of Rome, so the art of Etruscans and Romans often becomes indistinguishable. A bronze statue of an orator near Perugia in modern times is a good example of their close relationship. The statue was cast in 90 BC, wearing a robe and holding its right arm high, with a typical Roman style, just like the statue in the imperial period.
Apart from its obvious role as a cultural link between the Greek world and ancient Rome, perhaps the most lasting legacy of Etruscan artists is the realism they sometimes try to achieve in their portraits. Although it is still partially idealized, the funeral portrait on the Etruscan sarcophagus reveals the personal physical defects honestly enough, and the artists obviously try to explain the individual's unique personality. This is a concept, and their successors in Rome will strive for and capture it in private dynamic portraits of Roman citizens, which are often well presented in paint, metal and stone.