Lucretia

Art Historical Context

Raphael’s *Lucretia* captures the Roman heroine at a moment of profound resolve, her figure rendered with the graceful poise and balanced proportions that define the artist’s High Renaissance style. Created between 1508 and 1510 while Raphael was active in Rome, the drawing reflects the period’s renewed fascination with classical antiquity and moral exemplars from ancient history. Lucretia’s story—her tragic choice to preserve honor after assault—resonated deeply in Renaissance culture as a symbol of virtue and republican ideals. Executed in pen and brown ink over black chalk, the sheet revea...