Lucretia

Lucretia

Painting on wood

Medium

Painting on wood

[Letter from the owner, 1982; Koepplin Archive]

According to the legend Lucretia was raped by the son of the Roman king whereupon she committed suicide. The event led to the fall of the Royal house and the foundation of the Roman Republic.

The painting shows Lucretia as a half-length nude figure with a cloak. She is inclined slightly

According to the legend Lucretia was raped by the son of the Roman king whereupon she committed suicide. The event led to the fall of the Royal house and the foundation of the Roman Republic.

The painting shows Lucretia as a half-length nude figure with a cloak. She is inclined slightly to the left side of the picture, and her head and gaze also turn in this direction. Her right arm – holding the dagger – is raised to shoulder height. The tip of the short dagger touches a point between her breasts that already bleeds. Her left arm has disappeared beneath the cloak. Her jewellery consists of a choker set with pearls and precious stones and a linked chain. Her hair is pinned up under a snood. The background is black.

[cda 2022]

Attribution
Lucas Cranach the Elder and workshop

Attribution

Lucas Cranach the Elder and workshop

[cda 2022]

Dating
about 1520 - 1525

Dating

about 1520 - 1525

[cda 2022]

Dimensions
Dimensions of support: 40 × 30 cm

Dimensions

  • Dimensions of support: 40 × 30 cm

  • [Letter from the owner, 1982; Koepplin Archive]

Signature / Dating

none

Owner
Private Collection
Repository
Private Collection
CDA ID
PRIVATE_NONE-P562
FR (1978) Nr.
FR-none
Persistent Link
https://lucascranach.org/en/PRIVATE_NONE-P562/

Provenance

- 1982 private collection, Milan
[Letter from the owner, 1982; Koepplin Archive]

Research History / Discussion

A very similar depiction of Lucretia [PRIVATE_NONE-P181] was sold at Christie’s in 2012. It may be a copy after this painting that was reduced to an oval, but originally showed Lucretia as a three-quarter length figure.

[cda 2022]

  • Lucretia, about 1520 - 1525

Images

Compare images
  • overall
  • overall

Download illustration

License: Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International

Versions1

Lucretia
  • Lucretia, about 1520 - 1530
  • PRIVATE_NONE-P181
  • Painting
  • Private Collection

Citing from the Cranach Digital Archive

Entry with author
<author's name>, 'Lucretia', <title of document, data entry or image>. [<Date of document or image>], in: Cranach Digital Archive, https://lucascranach.org/en/PRIVATE_NONE-P562/ (Accessed {{dateAccessed}})
Entry with no author
'Lucretia', <title of document, data entry or image>. [<Date of document, entry or image>], in: Cranach Digital Archive, https://lucascranach.org/en/PRIVATE_NONE-P562/ (Accessed {{dateAccessed}})

Help us to improve the Cranach Digital Archive.

Please contact us, if you have noticed a mistake.