According to tradition, as recounted by the Roman historian Livy, Lucretia was a virtuous and beautiful noblewoman in ancient Rome. Her tragic story took place in 6th century BC during the reign of the tyrannical king Tarquinius Superbus.
At a wine party, Tarquin (son of Tarquinius Superbus), Collatinus (Lucretia’s husband) and his fellow soldiers were discussing the virtues of wives when Collatinus boasted of his wife’s loyalty and virtue. He offered to settle the debate by all of them riding to his home to see what his wife was doing in his absence. The men immediately rode to Rome only to find Lucretia spinning wool with her handmaids. This enflamed the desires of Tarquin who secretly returned a few days later. He was received well by Lucretia as an honoured guest but he later betrayed her by sneaking into her bedroom at night and threatening to kill her if she did not yield in to his advances. The next day Lucretia disclosed to her father and husband of what had transpired, and while they believed her as an innocent victim, she was resolute to end her life in order to reclaim her honor. She then drew a knife hidden in her robe, drove it into her heart, and died. Lucretia’s father and husband, enraged and overwhelmed with grief decided to avenge her death. Her rape and death triggered a revolt that led to the overthrow of the monarchy and creation of the Roman Republic.
In Rembrandt’s painting displayed above, he has captured the anguish of Lucretia moments before her death. The tension surrounding that awful act poignantly shows a woman’s moral dilemma to choose between life and honor.
A recently discovered new painting by the 17th-century artist Artemisia Gentileschi also reflects the ordeal of Lucretia. There’s a link between the painting and the artist for Gentileschi was raped at the age of 17 by another artist named Agostino Tassi, and she faced an enervating court case which long overshadowed her achievements as an artist. She was a prolific painter in an era when women painters were not widely accepted by the artistic community. She often depicted strong female protagonists – victims, suicides, warriors – from myths, allegories and the Bible. Today she is considered as one of the most progressive and expressive painters from her generation of artistes and is a relevant figure in the #MeToo era.
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