DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.785#0155
chap, ii.] INTERPRETATION OF THE PAINTINGS. 53
strongly resemble the animals represented on the vases of
the most archaic style, and like them had probably some
mystic or symbolic import; but who shall now interpret
them? who shall now read aright the handwriting on
these walls 1 Panthers are frequently introduced into
the painted tombs of Etruria, as figurative guardians
of the dead, being animals sacred to Bacchus, the Hades
of the Etruscans. The boys on horseback, I take to
be emblematical of the passage of the soul into another
state of existence, as is clearly the case in many cinerary
urns of later date ; and the figure with the hammer
is probably intended for the Charon of the Etruscans.
Though the style of the figures seems to assimilate
them to Egyptian paintings, yet there is nothing of
that character in the faces of the men, as in the oldest
painted tombs of Tarquinii, where the figures have
more or less of the Egyptian physiognomy, according
to their degree of antiquity. The features here on the
contrary are very rudely drawn, and quite devoid of any
national peculiarity, seeming rather like untutored efforts
to portray the human face divine.6 Indeed, in this par-
ticular, as well as in the uncouth representations of flowers
interspersed with the figures, and of the same parti-coloured
hues, there is a great resemblance to the paintings on early
Doric vases—nor would it be difficult to find certain points
of analogy with Mexican paintings. The sphinx, though
with an Egyptian coiffure, has none of that character in
other respects, for the Egyptians never represented this
chimaera with wings, nor of so attenuated a form. The
land of the Nile however may be seen in the ornamental
border of lotus-flowers, emblematical of immortality, which
surmounts the figures. The side-walls and the ceiling of
this chamber show the bare rock, roughly hewn.
6 The woodcut on p. SO fails to give the strange rudeness of the features.
strongly resemble the animals represented on the vases of
the most archaic style, and like them had probably some
mystic or symbolic import; but who shall now interpret
them? who shall now read aright the handwriting on
these walls 1 Panthers are frequently introduced into
the painted tombs of Etruria, as figurative guardians
of the dead, being animals sacred to Bacchus, the Hades
of the Etruscans. The boys on horseback, I take to
be emblematical of the passage of the soul into another
state of existence, as is clearly the case in many cinerary
urns of later date ; and the figure with the hammer
is probably intended for the Charon of the Etruscans.
Though the style of the figures seems to assimilate
them to Egyptian paintings, yet there is nothing of
that character in the faces of the men, as in the oldest
painted tombs of Tarquinii, where the figures have
more or less of the Egyptian physiognomy, according
to their degree of antiquity. The features here on the
contrary are very rudely drawn, and quite devoid of any
national peculiarity, seeming rather like untutored efforts
to portray the human face divine.6 Indeed, in this par-
ticular, as well as in the uncouth representations of flowers
interspersed with the figures, and of the same parti-coloured
hues, there is a great resemblance to the paintings on early
Doric vases—nor would it be difficult to find certain points
of analogy with Mexican paintings. The sphinx, though
with an Egyptian coiffure, has none of that character in
other respects, for the Egyptians never represented this
chimaera with wings, nor of so attenuated a form. The
land of the Nile however may be seen in the ornamental
border of lotus-flowers, emblematical of immortality, which
surmounts the figures. The side-walls and the ceiling of
this chamber show the bare rock, roughly hewn.
6 The woodcut on p. SO fails to give the strange rudeness of the features.