Apollo of Veii

 The Apollo of Veii is an over-life-size painted terracotta Etruscan statue of Apollo of ancient Veii and dates from c. 510 - 500 BC. It was created in the so-called "international" Ionic or late-archaic Etruscan style. It was discovered in 1916, and is now on display in the National Etruscan Museum in Rome.

The Apollo of Veii is an over-life-size painted terracotta Etruscan statue of Apollo from Veii of, in the 'international' Ionic or late-archaic Etruscan style. It was discovered in 1916, and is now on show in the National Etruscan Museum.

It was probably made by Vulca, the only Etruscan artist we know by name. It was part of a scene of Apollo and Heracles contending over the Ceryneian Hind, 12 metres above the ground on beams on the acroterion of the Portonaccio Sanctuary of Minerva. Apollo, dressed in a tunic and short cloak advances towards his left with his right arm outstretched and bent (his left arm is towards the ground maybe with a bow in his hand); Heracles, with the doe tied around his legs, is outstretched towards the right, leaning forwards to attack with his bludgeon and with his torso in a violent curve.This is very, very speculative, but I wonder whether the idea of putting terracotta statues on the roof of the temple was inspired by the sculptures added to the pediments of Greek temples (like the temple of Aphaia at Aegina, which is discussed elsewhere on KA). These pediments and their sculptures were originally painted, and I have seen reconstructions in which the background of the pediment was painted in a very bright, sky blue: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Temple_of_Aphaea#mediaviewer/File:Aphaia_Western_Pediment.jpg Perhaps this is what gave the Etruscans the idea of simply putting their statues against the sky itself, rather than against a painted background? 

There also is a rather obvious Greek influence on the Apollo statue - like a kouros, it has a striding stance, archaic smile, braided hair and no contrapposto. Unlike a kouros, however, this is a clothed figure... These similarities and differences do seem to support the idea of the Etruscans both adopting and altering Greek sculptural traditions.