Death of Lucretia
1546/47
Medium
Engraving in black on ivory laid paper
Dimensions
Sheet: 7.9 × 11.7 cm (3 1/8 × 4 5/8 in.)
Classification
engraving
Department
Prints and Drawings
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
77503
Art Historical Context
Georg Pencz's *Death of Lucretia* (1546/47) captures a pivotal moment from ancient Roman legend, where the virtuous Lucretia, after enduring assault by the tyrant Tarquin, takes her own life to preserve her honor. This dramatic scene fueled Renaissance interest in classical antiquity, symbolizing chastity, republican, and resistance to tyranny—resonating in 16th-century Europe amid political upheavals. As a master engraver from Nuremberg, part of the "Little Masters group, Pencz excelled in intricate small-scale prints influenced by Albrecht Dürer and Italian Renaissance artists like Marcanto...
About the Artist
Georg Pencz · 1490–1550
Comment on works: Religious; History; Portraits