Etruscan Culture from Etruria (region north of Rome, Italy) In pre-Roman Italy what we know today as Tuscany was inhabited by the Etruscans, a people who developed their own distinctive culture from the 8th century BC. The Etruscans earned their considerable wealth through overseas trade in ceramics, wine and iron. They were notorious pirates. From the 5th century, they were increasingly attracted by the Celts from one side and the Italians from the other. A fleet from Syracuse destroyed their seaports, which was the start of the gradual decline of the independent Etruscan culture. By the 3rd century, the Etruscans had come under Roman Rule. The Etruscan culture had unmistakable Greek influences, and formed the basis for much of the later Roman culture. The Etruscans long remained an intriguing, almost mythical people for the Roman elite. Etruscan slaves and women were remarkably emancipated, and their free sexual morals were condemned long after the civilization's decline. Etruscan Thin Bronze Figures Inspired by the large Greek statues of nude men (kouroi) and clothed women (korai), a flourishing tradition developed in Etruria. However, in contrast to the Greeks, the Etruscans did not seek to perfectly represent the human body. They emphasized the appearance of their sculptures in an almost expressionistic way. The peak of this obstinate conception of art was reached with the so-called stretched figures: elongated, flat figures, usually made between the 5th and the 2nd century BC. They originated in Southern Etruria, where small figures were cut from thin sheets of metal starting in the 8th century. The slender figure of an Etruscan boy became the most famous stretched figure thanked to the story of its discovery; a farmer found the figure while working his land near Volterra in 1870. He used it as a fire poker for years. Many artists, including the famous Italian sculptor Giacometti have taken inspiration from the beautiful, abstract forms of the famous Etruscan stretched figures. Statue replica is from the highly collectible Parastone Mouseion 3D Collection . Material : Collectible quality bonded bronze (resin and bronze), matte and glossy finish. Included : Full color card in four languages.
Almost
all of our items come with a
history card or string history card that provides background on the history,
mythology, location and main characteristics of the ancient original.
Many items come boxed in elegant color
gift boxes. We are progressively including more items in color boxes.
Museum Reproductions Information:
History of Art Reproductions:
As far as we know, the history of art reproductions
takes us back to Imperial Rome where bronze and marble reproductions of Greek masterpieces
served as decoration for lavish Roman Villas and Gardens. The art of casting is
thousands of years old: Terracotta’s, Bronzes and ancient glass were cast from molds.
Closer to our time in the mid 18th century coinciding with the search for new artistic
styles which took inspiration from the roots of classic art (neoclassicism) and
the discovery of Herculaneum in 1738 and Pompeii in 1748, archaeological reproductions
reappeared all over Europe. As a result of French expeditions to Egypt during the
nineteenth century, a casting facility was set up next to the Louvre Museum where
many important archaeological pieces from ancient Egypt were reproduced. Following
the example of the Louvre, other leading European museums began to reproduce some
of the masterpieces in their collections thus initiating a trend that continues
until today.
Art Reproduction Craftsmanship:
For the making of art reproductions, masterpieces
have been chosen from the best museums all over the world, The Louvre, The British
Museum, The National Museum of Athens, The Egyptian Museum Cairo, The New York Metropolitan
Museum of Art. We only use materials and techniques that can achieve the best quality
in reproducing original works of art to obtain very fine pieces, up to the last
detail. Our sculptures are cast in a variety of mediums: Bonded Stone, Polyresins,
and Bronze. The finish of each reproduction, is always hand-made and showing craftsmanship
and historical sense, is the work of an artisan. It is the task to present to the
people of today the legacy of those ancient civilizations with all the beauty and
mystery of our ancestors again in front of our eyes and at the reach of our hands.
There is several steps that must be taken before a museum reproduction sculpture
can be made. Most of our items are original artworks created by our sculptors, carved
out of clay, stone, or wood. Once the original is carved, a mold is made, usually
out of silicon. Crushed stone in a liquid resin medium is poured into a silicon
mold where it solidifies into a hard stone that reproduces all the detail and texture
of the original. All the finishes are done by hand. Many finishes include color
detailing, a labor intensive process where colors are applied with small brushes
by our skilled artisans.
Museum Reproductions
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