Votive head; Etruria, 4th century BC.

Votive head; Etruria, 4th century BC.
Terracotta.
It has slight damage caused by the passage of time.
Measurements: 23 x 19 x 12 cm.
Female head of votive character that maintains the usual frontality in some Etruscan works of art and some details that slightly recall Greek works. It is an example of the sculptural art of the Etruscan culture, which already in Antiquity was surrounded by an aura of mystery; even their Greek contemporaries were intrigued by the sudden emergence of this people as a maritime and commercial power, by this ancient people that, according to Dionysius of Halicarnassus, "resembles no other in their language and customs". While there are those who consider them as the people that gave rise to the Roman Empire, there are other experts who give more relevance to the differences that exist between the two peoples and consider them mere neighbors or "conqueror and conquered", depending on the time in which one speaks, recognizing a strong influence of some elements of Etruscan culture and art observed on the Romans. In any case, the Etruscans were great artists and craftsmen, known for what has come down to us from them: profusely decorated and very striking tombs, resembling homes in some cases; terracotta sculptures that, apparently, they polychromed with flat and bright tones (similar to ancient Egyptian works), and used to decorate temples, as sculptures etc.; goldsmithery, pottery, etc..
Etruscan art received from its beginnings an important influence from Greek art, due to the cultural connection existing between both peoples throughout the history of Etruscan culture. This influence was combined with that of Eastern origin and, from the 1st century B.C. onwards, with Roman influence. However, it will be the Asian and Greek tendencies that will determine the development of Etruscan art to the greatest extent. On this basis, an art of its own was shaped, marked by a taste for stylization and lively colors. One of its main sculptural manifestations will be the portrait, which will have mainly a funerary purpose, since in Etruscan culture funeral rites and iconography will play a key role. However, there are also some examples of commemorative portraiture, such as the bronze head of Lucius Junius Brutus (ca. 300 BC), the legendary first consul of the Roman Republic. The Etruscan portrait is not a simple copy of the Greek one, but an original creation combining serenity and passion, a direct ancestor of the Roman portrait.