The painting depicts Lucretia as a seated half-length figure in contemporary dress with contemporary accessories.
Lucretia's head is inclined slightly to the left, but her gaze is directed at the viewer. Her hair is pinned up. She wears a white undergarment revealing her chest and a fur-trimmed gown over her
The painting depicts Lucretia as a seated half-length figure in contemporary dress with contemporary accessories.
Lucretia's head is inclined slightly to the left, but her gaze is directed at the viewer. Her hair is pinned up. She wears a white undergarment revealing her chest and a fur-trimmed gown over her shoulders. Her left hand rests on her lap and she holds a long dagger in her right hand, which she has raised slightly.
She wears a chain with a pendant around her neck.
The background is dark.
According to the legend Lucretia lived in the 6th century BC and was the beautiful and virtuous wife of the roman Collatinus. The roman King's son - Sextus Tarquinius fell in love with her. During a stay in her house Sextus threatened to kill her and shame her honour if she did not surrender to him. After the rape Lucretia had her father and husband vow vengeance and then she stabbed herself. The event led to an uprising in which the royal family was overthrown and the Roman Empire became a Republic.
Depictions of Lucretia who was seen as the epitomy of female virtue, chastity, fidelity and honour enjoyed great popularity, particularly in the 16th century.
[Literature: Bierende 2002, Follak 2002, Livius 1909]
- Attributions
-
Copy after Lucas Cranach the Elder
Circle of Lucas Cranach the Elder
Attributions
Copy after Lucas Cranach the Elder | [Exhib. Cat. Basel 1974, 662, under No. 576] |
Circle of Lucas Cranach the Elder | "Cranach-school" [Melzer, in Exhib. Cat. Chemnitz 2005, 54] |
- Production dates
- about 1800 - 1899
about 1530
Production dates
about 1800 - 1899 | "19. Jahrhundert " |
about 1515 | [Melzer 2015, 156] |
about 1530 | [Kulturstiftung Dessau Wörlitz, revised 2012] |
after 1534 | [Melzer, in Exhib. Cat. Chemnitz 2005, 54] |
- Dimensions
- Dimensions of support: 82.4 x 61.3 x 1.2 cm
Dimensions
Dimensions of support: 82.4 x 61.3 x 1.2 cm
[cda 2015]
- Signature / Dating
None
- Owner
- Kulturstiftung Dessau Wörlitz
- Repository
- Kulturstiftung Dessau Wörlitz, Gotisches Haus (The Gothic House)
- Location
- Wörlitz
- CDA ID
- DE_KsDW_I-55
- FR (1978) Nr.
- FR-none
- Persistent Link
- https://lucascranach.org/en/DE_KsDW_I-55/