
The Etruscan & the Ionian in Italy.
“Some take the arrangement of columns belonging to the Tuscan order and apply it to buildings in the Corinthian and Ionic styles, and where there are projecting antae in the pronaos [ vestibule of a temple], set up two columns in a line with each of the cella [main centre of the temple] walls, thus making a combination of the principles of Tuscan and Greek buildings.” Vitruvius, Ten Books on Architecture,
The Etruscans had a league of cities (something like the renaissance network of city states or principalities) and encouraged trade amongst other cultures, though in no way could they be accused of having imperialist or colonial ambitions like the Greeks, Romans and other ancient civilisations. This is reflected in the history and exploits of the two civilisations. Looking at a map of ancient Italy, we can see the location of Greek settlements compared to the Etruscans: the Greeks (represented by green dots) came further south from Neapolis (Naples) to Segesta near Palermo in Sicily. The deepest the Etruscans penetrated was to Rome, with centres like Cerveteri and Veii (red dots) being the most southern. We could call the Greek states Ionian as they were created mainly by settlers from the Greek mainland who sailed across the Ionian Sea which lies off the toe and boot of Italy, though we should be cautious of seeing a strict parallel development.[1] By contrast the Etruscans were mainly grouped inland in Central Italy or along the coast of the Tyrrhenian Sea. Making a contrast between the Etruscan and Ionian is purely arbitrary, but it is useful for giving us an idea of the geographical situation. However, it should constantly be borne in mind that this geographical opposition breaks down when it is transposed into art and architecture, despite, in the case of the latter, clear distinctions being made between the three main Greek architectural orders and the Tuscan (Etruscan). It was the Roman Vitruvius who described the proportions of Tuscan temples, in the process pointing out that they were meant to be approached from the side as well as the front.[2] A reconstruction of the Etruscan temple at Portonaccio at Veii (original c. 500 B.C.) (above) shows the austere Tuscan structure which can be contrasted with the Ionian though it imitates the acroteria (sky figures) of the Greeks which the Etruscans used to add more decoration to their severe and simple buildings.[3] Moreover, this temple was originally dedicated to a number of deities including the Apollo of Veii mentioned above (now in the Villa Giulia) and that particular figure has clear links with Greek statues of the god; it can be usefully compared with the Greek type known as the Kouros (young man); the profile of the Veii Apollo is Ionian, though that style was more suitable for temples of Juno, Diana and Bacchus.[4] However despite the Greek associations rightly identified by Spivey and Brendel, it is difficult not to agree with the latter on the unique character of this statue; where else in Archaic art is such an expressively enigmatic face to be found?[5]
[1] Brendel, Etruscan Art, and references to “Ionian influence.”
[2] Vitruvius, The Ten Books on Architecture, trans. Morris Hickey Morgan, (New York, 1960, orig. pub 1914), 120f.
[3] Spivey, Etruscan Art, 62.
[4] Vitruvius, Ten Books, 15: The construction of temples of the Ionic order to Juno, Diana, Father Bacchus, and the other gods of that kind, will be in keeping with the middle position which they hold; for the building of such will be an appropriate combination of the severity of the Doric and the delicacy of the Corinthian. The link between the Ionian order and Juno is made explicit in John Shute’s illustration of the Ionian in his The First and Chief Orders of Architecture (1563).
[5] Brendel, Etruscan Art, 242.