Sarcophagus and lid with portraits of husband and wife

Sarcophagi, or coffins, showing images of married couples on the lids are unique to Etruria. The tender presentation of an embracing man and woman on this rare example makes it one of the most widely admired works of Etruscan art. A rounded mantle covers the figures like a blanket, discreetly underscoring the sym-bolic nature of the scene and the couple's intimate connection; unlike Greek art, Etruscan art presents women alongside their husbands in banquets and processions. The nudity of the man refers not only to the consummation of the marriage but also, as he is deceased, to his heroization.The high level of naturalism in the bodies and faces, particularly the man's clearly visible belly and jowly jawline, demonstrates the Etruscan preference for realistic, even unflattering, self-representation. The woman's double-braid hairstyle, large round earring, spiral bracelet, and long-sleeved chiton betray the Etruscans' love of luxury and their focus on costume as an indicator of identity and social status. The use of an Italic volcanic rock rather than imported Greek marble adds to the distinctly local flavor of the piece. The reliefs running along three sides of the sarcophagus on which this lid sits underscore the connection between husband and wife in life and death. The long side features a marriage scene, presumably of this couple, and both ends display figures departing in chariots for the afterlife. Together with an inscription mentioning Ramtha Visnai (a woman's name), these reliefs suggest that the wife predeceased her husband, who later joined her in death; traces of paint in her eyes show her gazing directly at him, to welcome and comfort him as he joins her in an eternal embrace.