DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.847#0026
INTRODUCTION. 19
Demaratus and his people came into Italy from
Corinth. And fourth, the decadence, which is an
abortive attempt at something fine, a large head and
a small body, or limbs and body out of all propor-
tion, like our sculptures and engravings of the
middle ages. Indeed, this sort of humpty-dumpty is
so much the character of their sculpture, that until I
saw the Greek style in the scarabei, some rare gems,
and a few most exquisite specimens in bronze, espe-
cially those now belonging to General Ramsay and
the Cavaliere Campana, I had not believed that the
Etruscan art ever rose higher. In all its manufac-
tures, of whatever nature, these four epochs of Egyp-
tian, native, Greek, and the decline, are distinctly
visible. A few years ago scarabei used to be much
falsified in Rome, especially those of the Greek or
Egyptian style, and these were chiefly cut in onyx,
the Roman jewellers having got a quantity of onyx
beads from the East Indies, which were found to
answer well; but neither this imposition nor the
imitation or false recomposition of vases was a trade
in 1838 and 1839. The few false ones we did meet
with were all such as had been made some years
since; and as to the vases, besides that there are sure
methods of detection, because no modern vase will
stand the test of aquafortis, the ancient and ge-
nuine can be purchased for less money, or for very
nearly as little, as it would take to make a success-
ful imitation.
We found that all the principal dealers had
bought or hired land for themselves in the burying
Demaratus and his people came into Italy from
Corinth. And fourth, the decadence, which is an
abortive attempt at something fine, a large head and
a small body, or limbs and body out of all propor-
tion, like our sculptures and engravings of the
middle ages. Indeed, this sort of humpty-dumpty is
so much the character of their sculpture, that until I
saw the Greek style in the scarabei, some rare gems,
and a few most exquisite specimens in bronze, espe-
cially those now belonging to General Ramsay and
the Cavaliere Campana, I had not believed that the
Etruscan art ever rose higher. In all its manufac-
tures, of whatever nature, these four epochs of Egyp-
tian, native, Greek, and the decline, are distinctly
visible. A few years ago scarabei used to be much
falsified in Rome, especially those of the Greek or
Egyptian style, and these were chiefly cut in onyx,
the Roman jewellers having got a quantity of onyx
beads from the East Indies, which were found to
answer well; but neither this imposition nor the
imitation or false recomposition of vases was a trade
in 1838 and 1839. The few false ones we did meet
with were all such as had been made some years
since; and as to the vases, besides that there are sure
methods of detection, because no modern vase will
stand the test of aquafortis, the ancient and ge-
nuine can be purchased for less money, or for very
nearly as little, as it would take to make a success-
ful imitation.
We found that all the principal dealers had
bought or hired land for themselves in the burying