In 1921, Italy first wanted something it couldn't have. On this Monday in Rome, the Italian government finally got it. The François Tombone, one of the greatest surviving pieces of ancient painting on Earth, now belongs to the state. Italy paid $17.5 million for it. That might sound like a lot of money for an old painted wall, but consider this: the tomb was discovered back in 1857, over a century ago, and has been locked away ever since. It contains scenes that blend Greek mythology with Etruscan history, painted in colours that still glow after twenty-three centuries. These paintings tell stories nobody else painted about power, death, gods, and the moment when Etruscan civilisation was starting to fade into Roman history. This acquisition brings one of the world's most important monuments into public hands at last.
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