The Easel

9th June 2026

Brought to light

Renée Dreyfus | Art and Antiques | 2nd May 2026

The Etruscans shaped the Mediterranean world and were “principal contributors” to pre-Roman culture. Based near today’s Tuscany, they were sophisticated, highly religious and unlike the Greeks respectful of women. Togas, urban planning, hydraulic engineering, winemaking, “Roman” numerals, all came from them. Their art included fine jewellery and elegant painted pottery. Says a curator, “in art, religion, engineering, architecture, Rome really stood on the shoulders of the Etruscans.” A video is here.

Saint-Porchaire Ceramics: Rediscovered Treasures of the French Renaissance

Mairead Horton | Art Institute Chicago | 1st April 2026

With barely 70 examples, Saint-Porchaire ceramics are among the rarest – and most mysterious – treasures of the French Renaissance. Supposedly made in a tiny French village, they are decoratively ambitious and highly complex. They are thought to be the work of a single artisan or a very small group. But who were they and how were they aware of design fashions of the day? Says a scholar “[ceramics] that are without precedent …whether or not you think them beautiful, they are completely wonderful”.

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