Studies in Etruscan Bronze Reliefs

Abstract

The great influence which Greek art exercised upon Etruscan art has long been recognized. It is necessary, however, to clarify the relation between the two and to establish the qualities peculiar to Etruscan art. One possible way of performing this task is to investigate the method by which the Etruscans copied their Greek models. For, if there was a peculiarly Etruscan style, it should become apparent in such a copy, especially if the Etruscan artists have taken liberties. There is, however, one considerable difficulty involved in this procedure. Although many Etruscan objects appear to have been copied from the Greek, rarely do we find the specific Greek model for any of these. Two Greek bronze reliefs in the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston (Fig. 1 and Headpiece) form an exception, as they were copied in Etruscan reliefs which are now in the Museums of Vienna and Munich. Both originals and copies were made of thin hammered bronze and were presumably used for the revetment of boxes or cases.¹ The scene represented is the Gigantomachy. Some other Etruscan reliefs show partial adaptation from the same Greek original. We may, therefore, distinguish the following three types: type A, the Greek original; type B, the Etruscan copy; and type C, the Etruscan adaptation.