The François Tomb was discovered on May 1, 1857, by the archaeologist Alessandro François. He found it in the necropolis of Vulci, north of Rome, cut into the tufa and decorated with 37 painted panels—extraordinary surviving examples of ancient painting. Made between 340 and 320 B.C., the frescoes depict mythological battles, Etruscan heroes, and scenes from the underworld. In 1862, these painted panels were detached and removed to Rome—a controversial act that has been debated ever since. They are now on public view for the first time at the Museo Nazionale Etrusco di Villa Giulia. Presented as well are funerary objects on loan from the Louvre, the British Museum, and the Royal Museums of Art and History in Brussels. —Elena Clavarino