ATTRIBUTED TO THE PARIS PAINTER, CIRCA 530 B.C.

Much is known about the daily life of the Etruscans thanks to depictions on tomb paintings, scenes on vases, and the surviving literary accounts of ancient writers. The 4th century B.C. Greek historian Theopompus, cited by the Roman author Athenaeus many centuries later, informs that the Etruscans were extraordinarily pleasure-loving. "When they come together in parties with their relations, this is what they do: first, when they stop drinking and are ready to go to bed, the servants bring in to them--with the lights left on!--either hetairai, party girls, or very beautiful boys, or even their wives. When they have enjoyed these, they then bring in young boys in bloom, who in turn consort with them themselves...and indeed they like to keep company with women: but they enjoy the company of boys and young men even more" (see p. 235 in L. Bonfante, Etruscan Life and Afterlife).

Scenes of aroused komasts or satyrs abound on vases by the Paris Painter and his followers. See for example the komasts on an amphora in Orvieto, a satyr pleasuring himself on an amphora in Tarquinia, and four aroused satyrs on an amphora in Würzburg, pls. 7c, 9, and 17 in L. Hannestad, The Paris Painter, An Etruscan Vase-painter. For related erotic scenes see also the Tomb of the Bulls, pl. VIII-3 in Bonfante, op. cit.