DEEP ROOTS: ETRUSCANS AND THEIR WORLD Pictorial project by Laura Ferretti During my life I have always felt the charm of Etruscan civilization and culture. Their   deep   love   for   life. A   love   strictly   connected   with   a   serene   knowledge   of   death. The   refined   elegance   of   their   clothes,   jewels,   vases. Their tools themselves too. I   have   always   been   attracted   by   their   art.   By   the   linear   monumentality   of   some   complexes   and   even   more   by   the   freshness   of   their works   made   for   themselves   with   a   particular   taste   for   the   episodic   situations.   A   dance   step,   a   winking   smile,   the   competition   quiver. Almost   snapshots. The   harmonious   spontaneity   of   relationships. The   friendly   accomplice   and   affectionate   gestures   of   couples. They   get us   and   take   us   backward   in   time.   They   are   living   in   front   of   our   eyes.   Maids,   musicians,   dancers,   animals,   athletes,   couples.   Everyone in   harmony,   lively   and   joyful. And   the   Etruscan   woman,   refined   and   smiling,   makes   us   discover   an   equal   dimension,   an   affectionate   and intimate man relating with her. Full of poetry. I feel them alive. I desired transmitting these emotions. I   had   many   pictures,   so   many   to   be   able   to   select   them,   searching   the   most   effective   to   live   again   moments   of   their   life,   fragments   of their day-by-day life. After   the   organization   of   contents   I   needed   an   expressive   means   which   gave   to   the   project   that   connection   and   dynamism   capable   to make the past “unroll” becoming present through a succession of details that create the whole. This   became   possible   through   aural   rapports   with   which   a   rectangle   resolves   itself   on   squares   that   fit   with   each   other   filling   the   entire space. And   from   the   smallest   one,   of   infinitesimal   measures,   a   spiral   gives   off   connecting   every   square,   linking   them   harmoniously.   So the   spiral   is   a   dynamic   expression   and   a   time   connection   at   the   same   time:   the   fragments   that   advance   reconstruct   themselves   in   the unity the main square, in the present, or, from it, they move returning on the past, in their world of quiet. The   25   canvases,   derived   expressively   from   elements   of   Etruscan   art,   form   an   organic   nucleus.   They   tell   my   journey   back   in   time   to seek out my most ancient roots. But my journey is going on. A   canvas   representing   the   sea   on   which,   at   the   horizon,   you   can   catch   a   glimpse   of   an   Etruscan   trading   vessel,   introduces   a   second section whereby there are various landscapes, always painted with oil color, but with palette-knife. These   are   our   landscapes,   the   ones   of   Maremma,   of   Tuscany.   Landscapes   without   houses,   people,   animals.   Landscapes   made   of skies, land, sea, flowers, marshes. Of horizons. They are intense, dense. They are living now and in the most remote past. click on images to visit the gallery WORKS DAY-BY-DAY MOMENTS  Ornamental   plants   and   birds,1    (cm   35x22)   2002.   Tarquinia,   the   Tomb   of   the   Triclinium;   the   Tomb   of   the   Augurs;   Chiusi,   the Tomb of the Hill.  Ornamental   plants   and   birds,2   (cm   35x22)   2002.   Tarquinia,   the   Tomb   of   the Augurs;   the   Tomb   of   the   Leopards;   the   Tomb   of the Triclinium; the Tomb of the Funerary Bed.  Land animals (cm 35x22) 2002. Chiusi, the Tomb of the Hill.  Aquatic and flying animals (cm 35x22) 2002. Tarquinia, the Tomb of Hunting and Fishing.  Etruscan   Jewels,1    (cm   35x22)   2002.   Necklace   (650   b.   C.)   Cerveteri   –   Vaticano,   the   Etruscan   Museum;   fibula   (IX   sec.   b.   C.) Tarquinia,   the Archaeological   Museum;   fibula   (VII   sec.   b.   C.)   Volterra,   the   Guarnacci   Museum;   two   plait-catches   (VII   sec.   b.   C.) Cerveteri,   the   Valle   Giulia   Museum   in   Rome;   ring   (VI   sec.   b.   C.)   Veio,   the   Valle   Giulia   Museum   in   Rome;   bird-shape   eardrop   (III sec.   b.C)   Vulci,   the   Valle   Giulia   Museum   in   Rome;   pyramidal   eardrop   (III-II   sec.   b.   C.)   Volterra,   the   Valle   Giulia   Museum   in Rome.  Etruscan   Jewels,2   (cm   35x22)   2002.   Bracelet   (VII   sec.   b.   C.)   Vulci,   the   Valle   Giulia   Museum   in   Rome;   couple   of   fibulas   (VII sec.   b.   C.)   Archaeological   Museum   in   Bologna;   pendant   (650   b.   C.)   Vulci,   Antikesammlungen   in   Munich;   two   hair-pins   and   a big   brooch   (VII   sec.   b.   C.)   Palestrina,   the   Valle   Giulia   Museum   in   Rome;   a   cluster-shape   earring   (IV   sec   b.   C.)   Civitella   San Paolo, the Valle Giulia Museum in Rome; bracelet (IV sec. b. C.) Vulci, Antikenmuseum in Berlin.  Coins,1    (cm   35x22)   2002.   Gold   coin   with   lion   head   stamp,   Populonia, Archaeological   National   Museum   in   Florence;   silver   coin with   wild   boar   stamp,   Populonia, Archaeological   National   Museum   in   Florence;   silver   coin   with   Gorgon   head   stamp,   Populonia, Archaeological   National   Museum   in   Florence;   silver   coin   with   octopus   and   amphora   stamp,   Populonia, Archaeological   National Museum   in   Florence;   bronze   coin   (set   of   coins   with   wheel   stamp);   bronze   coin   (Vati   legend)   front   and   back,   Vetulonia, Archaeological Museum.  Coins,2   (cm   35x22)   2002.   Gold   coin   with   lion   head   stamp,   Populonia, Archaeological   National   Museum   in   Florence;   silver   coin with   Aquatic   animals   stamp;   silver   coin   with   Gorgon   head   stamp,   Populonia,   Archaeological   National   Museum   in   Florence; silver   coin   with   Chimera   stamp   Populonia,   Archaeological   National   Museum   in   Florence;   bronze   coin   (set   of   coins   with   wheel stamp); bronze coin (Velathri legend) front and back, Vetulonia Archaeological Museum.  Etruscan   vases,1   (cm   35x22)   2002.   Kyathos,   the   Valle   Giulia   Museum   in   Rome;   heavy   bucchero   chalice,   Archaeological Museum in Grosseto; kantharos, Archaeological Museum in Grosseto; incensory, Archaeological Museum Artimino (Florence).  Etruscan   vases,2   (cm   35x22)   2002.   Oinochoe,   heavy   bucchero,   Archaeological   Museum   in   Grosseto;   heavy   bucchero kyathos,   Archaeological   Museum   in   Grosseto;   one-handed   vase,   Archaeological   Museum   in   Grosseto;   thin   bucchero   kylix, Archaeological Museum in Grosseto. LIFE MOMENTS  Maids plating garlands (cm 50x31) 2002. (VI sec. b. C.) Tarquinia, the Tomb of Hunting and Fishing.  The diver  (cm 50x31) 2002. (VI sec. b. C.) Tarquinia, the Tomb of Hunting and Fishing. DEATH MOMENTS  Farewell forever (cm 50x31) 2002. (VI sec. b. C.) Tarquinia, the Tomb of the Augurs.  Velia in front of the eternity (cm 50x31) 2002. (III-II sec. b. C.) Tarquinia, the Tomb of the Ogre. YOUNG OFFERERS  Maiden (cm 50x31) 2002. (480 b. C.) Monte Acuto, Archaeological Museum in Bologna.  Night shadow (cm 50x31) 2002. (III sec. b. C.) Volterra, the Guarnacci Museum. CLOSE TO HEAVEN: ACROTERIONAL STATUES  The mysterious smile of Aplu (cm 50x31) 2002. (500 b. C.) Veio, the Valle Giulia Museum in Rome.  Man with a peculiar hat (cm 50x31) 2002. (575 b. C.) Poggio Civitate, Antiquarium in Murlo. GAMES: COMPETITION ATMOSPHERE  The strugglers (cm 80x50) 2003. (VI sec. b. C.) Tarquinia, the Tomb of Augurs.  The runners (cm 80x50) 2003. (VI sec. b. C.) Tarquinia, the Tomb of Olympic Games. HARMONY OF SOUNDS AND MOVEMENTS  Flautist and lyre-player (cm 80x50) 2003. (470 b.C.) Tarquinia, the Tomb of Triclinium.  Dancing couple (cm 80x50) 2003. (470 b.C.) Tarquinia, the Tomb of Triclinium. COUPLE HARMONY  Banqueting together (cm 100x62) 2003. (VI sec. b. C.) Tarquinia, the Tomb of Hunting and Fishing.  The married couple (cm 100x62) 2004 (530 b. C.) Cerveteri, the Valle Giulia Museum in Rome MEN AND NATURE IN HARMONY  Hunting and fishing (cm 150x93) 2003 (VI sec b.C.) Tarquinia, the Tomb of Hunting and Fishing. BIBLIOGRAPHY: Stenico, LA PITTURA ETRUSCA E ROMANA, (Mondadori,1963) Pallottino, ETRUSCOLOGIA, (Hoepli,1984) Cristofani,Etruschi,CULTURA E SOCIETA’, (Istituto Geografico De Agostini,1981) Cameni, LA TOSCANA DEGLI etruschi, (Il Tirreno,1993) various Authors, GLI etruschi MILLE ANNI DI CIVILTA’,vol.I, (Bonechi,1985) various Authors,, GLI etruschi MILLE ANNI DI CIVILTA’,vol.II, (Bonechi,1985) Cristofani, CIVILTA’ DEGLI etruschi, (Electa,1985) Pianu, GLI etruschi CINQUE MITI DA SFATARE, (Armando Curcio editore,1985) Cristofani, DIZIONARIO DELLA CIVILTA’ ETRUSCA, (Giunti Martello,1985) Moscati, ARCHEOLOGIA DELLE REGIONI D’ITALIA, (Rizzoli,1984) Mazzolai, GROSSETO IL MUSEO ARCHEOLOGICO DELLA MAREMMA, (Bonari,1977) Mazzolai, GLI ETRUSCHI DI TARQUINIA CERVETERI E VEIO, ( Arsuna) various Authors, LE GRANDI AVVENTURE DELL’ARCHEOLOGIA,vol. IV, (Armando Curcio)