Tarquinius and Lucretia, from The Story of Lucretia
1578–79
Medium
Engraving on laid paper
Dimensions
Sheet (trimmed): 20.7 × 24.7 cm (8 3/16 × 9 3/4 in.)
Classification
Department
Prints and Drawings
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
267833
Art Historical Context
This captivating engraving, *Tarquinius and Lucretia* from *The Story of Lucretia*, was created by the Dutch artist Hendrick Goltzius in 1578–79. As an engraving on laid paper, it forms part of a series illustrating the tragic Roman legend and reveals Goltzius’s early command of the medium. The compact sheet, roughly 8 by 10 inches, comes from the Art Institute of Chicago and demonstrates how finely incised lines can convey intense emotion and unfolding drama. The tale of Lucretia—a virtuous Roman matron assaulted by the king’s son—has long served as a powerful emblem of honor, chastity, and ...
About the Artist
Hendrick Goltzius · 1558–1617
Hendrick Goltzius (1558–1617) was the most celebrated engraver of the Northern Renaissance and a pivotal figure in Dutch Mannerism. Born near the German-Dutch border, Goltzius transformed printmaking into a virtuoso art form through his revolutionary 'swelling line' technique, where the burin was manipulated to create lines of varying thickness that produced unprecedented tonal effects and three-d...