Dr. Lisa Pieraccini

Dr. Pieraccini will join our Stanford AIA Chapter on Friday, May 22 at 7:00pm, on zoom
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Lecture is free and open to the public.

Etruscan exhibits in the United States were few and far between in the 20th century. In fact, there have been more Etruscan exhibits in the first quarter of the 21st century. Reasons for this are multifaceted but certainly highlight the increasing interest in cultures beyond Greece and Rome. In 2026 there will be three Etruscan exhibits in California’s Bay Area alone – a large international exhibit at the Legion of Honor in San Francisco, a small exhibit in UC Berkeley’s Doe Library’s main lobby and a student-based exhibit at the Phoebe A. Hearst Museum, also at UC Berkeley. Each exhibit is designed differently with particular focus on distinct aspects of Etruscan material culture, from gender studies to textile production and reception. What can these different exhibits tell us about the growing interests in the Etruscans and how museum cases and spaces can educate the public? How can Etruscan exhibits, both large and small, act as vehicles of dissemination of the Etruscan cultural and artistic legacy? The data used for this study stem from the organization of three exhibits, namely from a large university library lobby to large and small museum spaces. Comparisons of the exhibit designs and how the artifacts visually speak to different audiences (from university students to retired individuals and families) tells us a great deal about display practices. Indeed, museum spaces, locations and audience demographics, along with thematic display of Etruscan material culture combine in ways that underscore the success of these exhibits.
Lisa C. Pieraccini received her Ph.D at UC Santa Barbara. Dr. Pieraccini lived in Rome for many years where she taught and conducted research at the Etruscan site of Cerveteri. She now teaches in the Classics Department at the University of California Berkeley. Active at the southern Etruscan city, Caere (known today as Cerveteri), her research interests and publications include Etruscan pottery, burial customs, Etruscan and Roman wall painting and the reception of the Etruscans in the 18th and 19th centuries. Her book, Around the Hearth: Caeretan Cylinder-Stamped Braziers (2003) is the first comprehensive study of a unique class of over 350 Etruscans braziers. Her analysis examines different aspects of origin, production, iconography, style and chronology. Dr. Pieraccini is also a member of the Instituto di Studi Etruschi ed Italici, and co-editor of the book series, Caere, published by the Texas University Press.

For more information: Dr. Pieraccini's web page

Caere (Cities of the Etruscans)