L'Arringatore

L'Arringatore

1st Century (90-70) B.C.E

Unknown Etruscan Sculptor

Bronze

170 cm tall

Italy, Perugia, Lake Trasimeno

Museo Archeologico Nazionale in Florence, Italy

Aulus Metellus, or Auli Meteli, was an Etruscan who earned elite Roman citizenship. He would become a magistrate for the Roman Republic, and is believed to have been a skilled orator.

Description:
This life-size statue of Aulus Metellus is composed of bronze, resulting in a dark-green color throughout the work. He is standing in the contrapposto stance, with the left foot slightly forward, and the weight being rested on the back (right) leg. He is wearing high boots, extending up to the mid-calf. The statue is clothed in a tunic with a toga draped across the left shoulder and covering a significant portion of the body. Deep folds and creases throughout the toga are apparent, with a section of increased thickness where the garment ends and is folded. On the torso of the statue, there are traces of red paint which can be seen. The toga covering this statue originally would have been colored. His left arm is mostly covered by his clothing, except for the hand. The fore-finger and thumb of the left hand are held together in a pinching motion. The right arm of the statue, uncovered by the toga, is outstretched in front of it with the palm facing outward. This extension of the arm immediately draws the viewers eyes to it. The statue has a long and more thin neck, leading to the face of an older male. The forehead is wrinkled, in addition to creases above the nose and crow’s feet on the eyes. Deep lines are evident around the mouth as well as small bags/wrinkles underneath the eyes. The hair on the statue is short, and the large eyes are an empty space, as they were originally inlaid. The mouth appears to be minutely open. Along the lower hem of the toga, there is an inscription carved in Etruscan. It reads “To Auli Meteli, the son of Vel and Vesi, Tenine? set up this statue as a votive offering to Sans, by deliberation of the people”

Significance:

While this statue may appear to be cast as one large piece of bronze, the head, arms, legs, upper and lower torso were all crafted individually. This allowed for increased attention to be paid to each portion of the work. L’Arringatore, also called “The Orator”, is an important example of the blending of Etruscan and Roman culture. Due to the inscription in Etruscan letters, we can confidently say that Aulus Metellus was originally born as an Etruscan. He is wearing high boots in addition to a toga draped across the body, both styles being indicative of an elite Roman citizen. His extended right arm is being held out in the adlocutio gesture. This was commonly used by magistrates and orators as a way of quieting down a crowd so that they may give an address. These actions and clothing demonstrate that Aulus Metellus earned Roman citizenship and was able to work to become a magistrate. This was possible due to the gradual absorption of the Etruscan world by the Romans. As the Roman Republic went on, it continued to expand and encompass more land. The people could choose to become part of the Roman Republic and carried over many of their traditions. The Etruscans were widely regarded for their work in Bronze and Gold. This statue was created utilizing many Etruscan techniques, which would greatly influence future Roman artwork. The head of the statue was created in the Veristic style. The emphasis on the wrinkles of the face provide a much more realistic portrayal of a person. It captures their age and experience, while also adding a sense of individuality to the work. Furthermore, the more wrinkles one had, the more virtues they were said to possess. While the detail on the face of the statue is exquisite, the clothing of the statue is equally as impressive. The folds of the toga are clearly defined, and this work is often used by art historians to study the evolution of the toga and its various styles.

Kleiner, E.E Diana. "Roman Sculpture". Yale University Press, 1992. p.p. 33-34

Ridgway, Brunilde Sismondo. “The Lady from the Sea: A Greek Bronze in Turkey.” American Journal of Archaeology, vol. 71, no. 4, 1967, pg. 333

Berry, D.H.; Erskine, Andrew. "Form and Function in Roman Oratory" Cambridge University Press 2010. Pp. 52-55, 69. 

BONFANTE, LARISSA. “The Language of Dress: Etruscan Influences.” Archaeology, vol. 31, no. 1, 1978, pp. 23-24. JSTOR, JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/41726854.

Dr. Jeffrey A. Becker, "Aule Metele (Arringatore)," in Khanacademy.org, August 8, 2015, accessed March 16, 2018
https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/ancient-art-civilizations/etruscan/a/larringatore

Christopher Peppe