Etruscan Affair

This fascinating new publication considers how the discovery of Etruscan artefacts have inspired artists, architects, nobility, scholars and travellers to Italy from the 16th through to the 20th century, from Ferdinando de' Medici to Piranesi and Federico Fellini. Subjects include the reclaiming of Etruscan identity and its influence on Italian political history, the collecting and reproduction of Etruscan artefacts as well as new insights into the lives and activities of early British Etruscologists and their publications of sites and the rich and exciting artefacts found there. Other papers look at Etruscan concepts in jewellery, gems and pottery. Whilst the influence of the Etruscans on European culture may not be altogether surprising, the volume provides evidence of how knowledge of the Etruscan civilisation spread to the United States of America, including the tomb of a Civil War officer that was inscribed with an intriguing Etruscan-like inscription. The volume vividly shows the impact that Etruscan discoveries have had on the public imagination, in particular the Campanari display of reconstructed Etruscan tombs staged in Pall Mall in 1837, which was the first archaeological 'blockbuster' exhibition of its kind. The British Museum acquired much of the material in this exhibition, and in fact the excavation of Etruscan tombs with their stunning wall-paintings was to have a vital impact on displays in the major museums of Europe. That said, some Etruscan material was among Sir Hans Sloane's collection, the founding collection of the British Museum, and it has been on display since the Museum first opened its doors to the public in 1759.