Sarcophagus of the Spouses, Etruscan (520 B.C.)

I. IDENTIFIERS

Artist/Attribution: Etruscan

Date: 520 B.C.

Medium: Painted terracotta

Location: National Etruscan Museum of Villa Giulia, Rome

Culture/Period: Etruscan / Archaic Period

II. HISTORICAL CONTEXT

During this time the Etruscan civilization was at its zenith both economically and territorially.  There was control of central Italy, sections of the Po Valley (northern Italy), and Campania. The city that this sarcophagus comes from is Caere (modern day Cerveteri) which at this time was one of the wealthiest Etruscan city-states due to their massive mining of iron and copper, as well as their dominion of the maritime trade routes along the Tyrrhenian sea.

During this time Rome was not a Republic and was instead a kingdom ruled by an Etruscan dynasty. The ruler was Tarquin the Proud who imposed heavy taxation and forced labor to his peoples. Tarquin the Proud was overthrown after his son Sextus Tarquinius assaulted a noblewoman called Lucretia, who ended up committing suicide to protect her family’s honor.  Because of Sextus Tarquinius’s actions and the heavy taxation and forced labor, the king’s nephew Lucius Junius Brutus, and Lucretia’s husband organized a successful revolt and Tarquin was removed from the throne which led to the establishment of Rome and the Roman consuls.  

III. SUBJECT MATTER

The subject matter of the Sarcophagus of the Spouses centers itself around an eternal banquet in which an aristocratic couple recline together on an upholstered banquet couch (kline). Both figures occupy an equal level and hierarchy of scale which symbolizes marital equality. The husband protectively and affectionately places his arm around his wife’s shoulder, while the wife’s right hand is gestured as if placing an object into her husband’s arm. It probably was a small vessel (alabastron).  The husband’s hand is positioned to hold a metal or ceramic wine cup which acts as a symbolic offering or toast to the viewer or the gods.

Both of the figures have an Archaic smile and are idealized. The wife’s hair is divided into long, thick, rope-like braids that are organized into a symmetrical pattern and is sculpted with heavy volume, serving as a thick, decorative frame for their faces. The female wears a pointed cap (tutulus), a beautifully pleated tunic, and pointed-toed boots (calcei repandi). Her attire signals her high-status and wealth. Contrastingly, the man is shown barefoot and bare-chested on his lower half, which creates the effect of intimacy between the couple; compared to the wife’s elite clothing.

IV. ABOUT THE CULTURE

The Etruscan culture was highly progressive for the standards of its time. For example, women had tremendous amounts of freedom. Writers such as Aristotle and the historian Theopompus wrote with fascination about Etruscan women dining openly with men, owning property, sitting on banqueting couches, keeping their own surnames, and raising toasts.

Regarding funerary practices, Etruscans believed that death was a happy journey with a joyful transition. They constructed tombs that were fully furnished, and they were designed to host eternal banquets that would be filled with food, wine, music, and dance.  Some Etruscan cities practiced cremation such as Caere.

V. PERSONAL CONNECTION

The Sarcophagus of the Spouses is a piece that has captivated me for a long time. As a kid I was fortunate enough to view its sister piece at the Louvre, and years later at my AP Art History class. What I resonate with the most is the intimacy and protection that this piece radiates. On one hand, you have a work of art that serves as a sarcophagus for a couple, and simultaneously it is a depiction of their love.  In my own life having seen that union through many marriages shows me that love and loving always requires the two people to complement one another. The man complements the woman in the same way she complements him, none of them make the other less, but instead gives one another full splendor. They project what a proper relationship is: a mutual ability to shine while complementing one another.