Exhibition: Etruscan Princes - Between East and West

Not much is known about the mysterious civilisation of the Etruscans. A civilisation which existed in Italy in pre-Roman times, contemporary with the flourishing Grecian civilisation, yet despite the close proximity to the other Mediterranean cultures the Etruscans were very distinct. The art and style of these people borrowed styles and influences from their neighbours, yet it is this very fusion which makes the art of the Etruscans very unique. An eclectic blend of Archaic Greek which can be seen in the faces of some of the statues or the geometric designs on some of the pots, as well as influences from the Phoenitians and even Persian. Most of the Etruscan artefacts were recovered are from tombs, however the unusual beliefs of the Etruscans regarding death meant that many objects reflecting daily life and comfort were buried along side their owner adding as a window to their daily lives.



In the CaixaForum in Madrid, just along the Paseo del Prado is an exquisite exhibition solely dedicated to the Etruscan civilisation. A rare collection of over 170 Etruscan artefacts from some of the best museums in the world (The Louvre, The archaeological museums in Florence, the Vatican and Rome), detailing different aspects of Etruscan life from life to death to religion to daily life. This exhibition I found to be pretty intense and a minimum of two hours was required to do the whole thing - and I am not one of those people who studies one object for half an hour at a time!



Incredible gold jewellery with such detail you become completely seduced by it! Tiny animals done in such detail and unique style it completely charms you! Fascinating sculptures which have an almost modern avant-garde feel to them as well as a purely archaic feel. The exhibition is very well laid out with a nice and interesting overview of the life in this mysterious civilisation.

A definite must see for anyone who has an interest in the Etruscan civilisation or a passion for Archaeology. It is worth to invest a few hours to get the most out of this exhibition but it is definitely something I felt like I came away like I learned a lot about this interesting and mysterious pre-Roman civilisation. Also from an artistic point of view it is also a very curious experience to see parallels between other cultures even some things which to our society would not look out of place.





Dates: 2/10/08-18/01/09
Location: CaixaForum, Paseo del Prado 36
Transport: Metro - line 1(Atocha), bus 10,14,27,34,45
Hours: Monday - Sunday (9am-8pm)
Price: Free