REDISCOVERING THE ETRUSCANS: ETRUSCAN ELEMENTS IN LATE NINETEENTH- AND EARLY TWENTIETH-CENTURY EUROPEAN PAINTING

Abstract

Situated within the framework of Classical reception studies, this article examines examples of Etruscan motifs in late nineteenth- and early twentieth-century European academic paintings, challenging the conventional emphasis on Greco-Roman classicism in the history of art. The analysis of artworks by Kristian Zahrtmann, Aleksandr Svedomsky, Lawrence Alma-Tadema, John William Godward, and Edward John Poynter reveals a subtle yet significant incorporation of Etruscan imagery. This research examines how these artists engaged with Etruscan motifs, either intentionally or inadvertently, and challenges the historiographical bias that has marginalised Etruscan contributions in the study of Classical reception. It advocates for a more inclusive understanding of ancient cultural influences in nineteenth and twentieth-century art.