DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.786#0400
chap, li.] TOMB OF ORPHEUS AND EURYDICE. 383
Tomba d'Orfeo e d'Euridice.
About a mile or more to the west of Chiusi, at a spot
called I Pianacci, is another painted tomb, opened a few
years since, and now from neglect and humidity almost
destroyed.9 It has three chambers, two of them with
painted walls. In one, a man, with a light pallium on his
shoulders, is playing the lyre in the midst of a group of
dancers ; one of whom is a female. Antiquaries of high
credit think to see in this scene Orpheus fetching Eurydice
from the shades; and the inclination of the two figures
towards each other, and the outstretched arms of the
female, would seem to favour this opinion. In this case,
the other dancers might represent souls attracted and
animated by the magic of his lyre. But I doubt if this
be the real purport of the scene, for there is no other
instance of a mythological subject being depicted on the
walls of a tomb. It more probably represents the ordinary
dance at the funeral rites. Trees, more freely drawn than
usual, alternate with the figures.
The other chamber contains festive scenes—males
reclining at the banquet, a subulo playing the pipes, and a
mixing-jar, with a satyr painted on it, standing on the
ground. Here were also the funeral games, as indicated
by a figure with a lance, and another with dumb-bells;
but the surface of the wall has been so much injured,
that little is now distinguishable. It is evident, however,
that in point of design, this tomb has a decided superiority
to every other yet discovered at Chiusi.
The paintings in this and the Tomba della Scimia have
9 This tomb has not been placed of lions, and will not be shown unless
under lock and key, and will therefore especially demanded. One Monni, a
soon cease to be worthy of a visit. It restorer of vases at Chiusi, knows its
does not come into the cicerone's list whereabouts.
Tomba d'Orfeo e d'Euridice.
About a mile or more to the west of Chiusi, at a spot
called I Pianacci, is another painted tomb, opened a few
years since, and now from neglect and humidity almost
destroyed.9 It has three chambers, two of them with
painted walls. In one, a man, with a light pallium on his
shoulders, is playing the lyre in the midst of a group of
dancers ; one of whom is a female. Antiquaries of high
credit think to see in this scene Orpheus fetching Eurydice
from the shades; and the inclination of the two figures
towards each other, and the outstretched arms of the
female, would seem to favour this opinion. In this case,
the other dancers might represent souls attracted and
animated by the magic of his lyre. But I doubt if this
be the real purport of the scene, for there is no other
instance of a mythological subject being depicted on the
walls of a tomb. It more probably represents the ordinary
dance at the funeral rites. Trees, more freely drawn than
usual, alternate with the figures.
The other chamber contains festive scenes—males
reclining at the banquet, a subulo playing the pipes, and a
mixing-jar, with a satyr painted on it, standing on the
ground. Here were also the funeral games, as indicated
by a figure with a lance, and another with dumb-bells;
but the surface of the wall has been so much injured,
that little is now distinguishable. It is evident, however,
that in point of design, this tomb has a decided superiority
to every other yet discovered at Chiusi.
The paintings in this and the Tomba della Scimia have
9 This tomb has not been placed of lions, and will not be shown unless
under lock and key, and will therefore especially demanded. One Monni, a
soon cease to be worthy of a visit. It restorer of vases at Chiusi, knows its
does not come into the cicerone's list whereabouts.