The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-05-21
ETRUSCAN ART.

4 From an article in the CornhW Magazine we
lect the following paragraphs
Il "In treating of Etruscan art, it is not neces-
Ebry to specify its antiquarian distinctions, but
ny its general characteristics. The best way
get ut these is to study the contents of the
Hmbs They were eXcavated and built much
liter the plan of the dwellings of the living, with
similar disposition of chambers or halls. cor
sponding to the room required for the dead,
&kcept when they took the form of mausOleums
d monuments, and were made immense laby-
&nthian structures whose ruins now seem more
|he work of nature than of Iman. Interiorly they
&yeTe laYishly decorated with paintingand sculp-
ure in relief on the walls and ceilings. When
Inst opened these decorations are quite fresh
Ind perfect After an experience of the ghastly
"eics of modern sepulchres, it is with pleased
&sOnishment one enters for the first time an
Xuuscan house OF the dead. If it be a sepulchre
hitherto undisturbed, the visitor finds himself.
rhe can easily SO imagine, in the presence of
he original propretors. The apartments OPEN
ng one into another have look of domestic
lite, while the ornamentation is not confined to
Psychological or symbolical subjects, but is in
Hemingled with scenes of social festivity, games,
bcncs. races, theatrical exhibitions, and what
Ever they enjoyed in their everyday world;
hus indicating that they fancied
Ehey were entering upon a new life cores
bonding in many particulars with their old. 1t
another form of the Indian notion of new and
Spirit. But the good or evil past had much to
10 in their minds with the reception that
awaited them. Guardian genii efiigies of the
Nengers of wrong, protectors of the good, SYM
EDOls of immortality, occult doctrines put into
Eictoral life. these looked down on them from
eawed roofs and frescoed walls, which were fur
3her secured from wanton sacrilege ut the hands
Hi the living by figures of monstrous serpents
and demon heads, or the snake-entwined visage
Nj the terrible Medusa. There was so much of
IL
the tombs of the wealthy, that it was necessary
DO render them awful as well as sacred to the
Common Imagination. Indeed, there is room for
Believing that, while in some instances deposits
&pf Jewels and other costly objects were made in
compliance with the religious customs, they were
afterwards covertly withdrawn by means of Il
|becret entrance known only to the persons inte-
ktested if not of the family itself; perhaps left
expressly by conscience-hardened workmen for
the sake of plunder. But, as enough has been
already secured by modern eXcavators to stock
the principal museums of Europe, it proves that
! the practice of burying treasures of art was in
general respected among the old Etruscans, who,
doubtless thinking to need them again, wished
10 have them within their ghostly reach.
4 son entering tomb at Volterra, was sur
lpised to see wine and food on one of the urns in
! the centre l asked the peasant-woman-whose
hckering torch cast a mysterious shadowy light
over the pale figures that looked up to us out of
great staring eyes, with their libation-cups or
paterR held invitingly out rs if to be filled-if
the spirits of her ancestors still thrsted for the
warm drink of their native hills. oh, no., she
said, we put it here to cool for ourselves" 1t
1sems one must come to Italy to learn best
HhOw to utilize the graYe-chill otherwise than as
moral refrigerator or theological bugbear.
IF the tomb be anterior TO the Roman fash
ion of burning the corpses, we often find the
noble lady or great officer laid out in state on
&brOnZe biers and funeral cOuches looking as in
= Life, with their jewelry or armor on them, as
prompt, to all appearance for the pursuits OF
3 love or war as ever. Their favorite furniture,
vases, bronzes, articles of toilet, and sometimes
Chldren's toys-the pet dolls and engraved
primers-are placed about them ready fOrinstant
use. A few minutes exposure to the air re-
dues the bodies to dust; but the records of theil
lpersonal tastes and habits remain. The family
I'k kCene of some of the sepulchres is made moro
lreal by rows of portrait statues in various atti
tudes placed on urns of sarcophagi, and arranged
in order around the chamber, very much atte
the manner of a fashionable reception. In thos'
davs. guests more often reclined at banquet
) 'Ihan sat upright We see them, therefore, com
monty in that position, and if husband and wife
decorously embracing or carressing, the arm o
1 the man thrown lovingly over the shoulde
Of the partner of his home. Each !
81 daped as in life, wearing their usual ornament
4 and insignia of rank. The base which contain
q the ashes or bodies, is elaborately sculptured
sometimes in full relief, with NEUROLOGICAL o
historical scenes, or symbols and events relatln
10 the deceased persons. The Oldest and mos
Heommon of these cinerary urns are coarsel
painted and modelled in terra-cotta but TN
finer are done in marble or alabaster, unde
) Grecian influence, with occasional gliding.
These tombs are the libraries and museum
Of Etruscan history. Without them, not ON
would there have been important gaps IN tn
/ annals of the people, and indeed, all real know
4 ledge of their life lost, but modern art Woui
aso have missed its most graceful and preclou
, models and patterns in bronze, Jewelry, an
plastic materials in general These oter
most needed contrast TO the graceless, clumsy
Meaningless or vicious styles OF ornalhel
which prevailed after the loss OF medl@y'
4 an and before a revival of the knowledge OF tl
! pue forms of the antique Grecian taught I
1 vhat beauty really is. We may estimate ID
! extent 10 which the manufacture OF artst
objects was carried by this people by Ct
fact that from the small town OF Nolslnluhl, u
MODERN Bolsena, Flayius Flaccus carried OIL
4 Rome 1000 bronze statues. 1t is believed .
many that the Etruscans were superior 70 u
+ Creeks in the working of bronze or ahtlclPt.iS ti
+ them i'm perfectng it and the making oil lcIl
Vases. Each nation possesses consunnlate Il
4 Of its own. the origin of which in either WI
emally archaic and rude, while in Tune Dol
styles in Italy became so inIermihSicu tlot @
requires practised eye to discriminate DetWe'
@em, especially after Greek colonies se'''eo