Tomb of the Leopards

The Tomba dei Leopardi ( German " grave of the leopards " ) is a decorated Etruscan grave in the necropolis at Tarquinia Monterozzi.

The grave was found and excavated in 1875. It consists of a small chamber ( approximately 4 m × 4 m tall ) that is completely painted. In the tympanum of the back wall two leopards are shown, which gave its name to the grave. Because of the good preservation of the colors of this grave is one of the prime examples of Etruscan art.

The grave of the first half of the 5th century BC shows that the program of grave painting has now increasingly facing the banquet scenes. For the single most important scene of this phase is the " couple on the Kline " ( dining bed). In Leopard grave we have the first step in this development. Three pairs are gathered on the Kline. Pictured left is the scene on the back wall of the tomb, that is on the main page that you first see when you enter the grave. Two of the pairs consist of husband and wife, a couple - far left - of two men.

Only a couple, namely serving in the middle, probably the most important, is of two naked youths. In the tympanum of the back wall, the two lithe leopards who have given the grave his name. Since making rather moved by the architectural structures in a uniform scenes and a more profound sense of Decorative Place an interest in the grave painting now, the Panthers are now no longer by the apparent consoles that should support the roof are separated but by an elegant painted tree. A highly realistic sense characterizes this work - it is noticeable in the variety of clothes in which different representation of persons in profile among themselves vary greatly and can thus detect the desired likeness.

With the ending of the Spätarchaik 460 the highlight of Etruscan grave painting was exceeded. From the following period up to around 300 a far smaller number be painted tombs is known. The image theme focuses on the now become canonical motifs such revelry, musicians and dance scenes and athletic games. As for the formal development, it seems to have stopped at a certain level - also in contrast to Greece.

The representation of nature has been given great importance: In the center is a stylized palm, reed and bluebells are distributed over the entire image field and pomegranate blossoms form the upper frame.

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