70 THE FINE ARTS. 
religious myths. The drawing is rather meagre, the forms conventional 
without imitation of nature, and the drapery is indicated by fine lines 
rather stiffly and without being divided into masses. The features are’ 
usually destitute of expression except that they seem inclining to a smile. 
The coloring consists of colors laid on simply and separately without light 
and shade, and constantly reminds us of its Egyptian origin. In later 
times Grecian art exerted a great influence on the Etruscans, and the later 
Etruscan vases are in no respect to be distinguished from the Greek; in 
the ornaments especially, the Greek feeling for the beautiful is far more 
prominently active. The Etruscan paintings which we possess exhibit a 
progressive improvement in the style from the formally severe to the light 
sketchy manner. The localities where the greatest quantities of vases 
have been found are Arezzo, Camino, Chiusi, Corneto (the ancient Tarqui- 
nium, where are also the hypogeea of which we have spoken under Architec- 
ture, p. 36), Viterbo, Volterra, and Vulci; these vases exhibit the utmost 
variety in their forms and sizes. In pl. 12, jigs. 8-7, and pl. 13, figs. 1-4, 
we have copied a number of patterns. 
Pl. 12, fig. 3, represents a vase the painting of which is displayed in 
jig. 7. The sitting figure, probably a young bride, holds in her right hand 
a mirror, and in her left apparently an apple, both attributes of Venus, the 
goddess of love. Before her stands a winged genius, probably Amor, who 
is talking to her. On one side is a female attendant with an apple and a 
wreath, and on the other a maiden bringing a bowl containing fruit. The 
vase is 1 foot 24 inches high. PJ. 12, jig. 4, shows a Bacchante sitting 
between two fauns and holding a timbrel in her hand. One of the fauns 
stands with his left arm resting on his knee and his foot supported on a 
box, joking with the bacchante and offering her fruit in a bowl. The other 
faun, with his foot resting on a rock, touches the timbrel with one hand and 
points with the other to the broken fragments of a bowl. The female figure 
is white; all the rest is orange and black. The vase is 11 inches high. 
The vase-painting, fig. 5, represents Electra at the tomb of her father Aga- 
memnon. Near her stands a large water vessel for libations, and beside it 
an unguent vessel and a girdle. Before Electra stands Orestes with a vase 
and a spear. He wears only a cap and a light cloak. The figure with 
the petasus (travelling hat) is doubtless Pylades ; and the caduceus on which 
he leans points him out asa messenger. One of Electra’s maids stands 
near. The whole is ascene from the Electra of Sophocles. The neck of 
the vase is ornamented with a combat between a horseman and a foot- 
soldier. On the vase jig. 6 there is depicted in the middle a sepulchral 
monument in the form of a little temple resting on a double substructure. 
In the interior is seen the deceased in a sitting posture, holding a jewel 
casket, and only covered with a light garment. Before her stands an 
attendant with a fan and a wreath of flowers. Near the monument stand 
a male and three female figures, who are bringing offerings to the dead, 
chiefly articles of female ornament. This vase, which is 2 feet, 23 inches 
high, and is doubtless a cinerary urn, was once sold for 270 dollars. 
Pl. 18, fig. 1,is a black vase 44 inches high, on which a female head and 
454 
