VILLA GIULIA, Sculptures

You've finally reached the most important masterpiece in Villa Giulia: the large Etruscan terracotta sculptures of Veii. These works pull you in with their vitality, come from the temple of Portonaccio a few kilometers from Rome, and date back to 500 BC.

The most important sculpture is the famous Apollo of Veii, and I suggest focusing your attention on it for a moment. The god is depicted as he is walking, and he probably held a bow in his arms, which are unfortunately missing. Look at how elegantly the folds of his robe are depicted, and how his smile, hairstyle, and the definition of his features recall archaic Greek art. Yet his separated legs and athletic body sharply contrast the traditional stability and frontal view of Greek sculpture, and give Apollo's body a vibrant dynamic sense that is accentuated by the fact that the statue is presented in a profiled position.

Another touching masterpiece of Etruscan art that you can't miss is the Sarcophagus of the Spouses that was found in the Banditaccia necropolis near Cerveteri, in the province of Rome. It's dated back to around 520 BC, and this terracotta urn contained the ashes of the deceased. You can see the couch that was used for dining on the large box, and the deceased pair lying down on the lid, who look as if they're attending a banquet in the afterlife....