Thomiris, Queen of the Scyths, with the Head of Cyrus
1630
Medium
Engraving in black on laid paper
Dimensions
Image: 39.1 × 58.4 cm (15 7/16 × 23 in.); Plate: 40.7 × 59 cm (16 1/16 × 23 1/4 in.); Sheet: 44.7 × 64.5 cm (17 5/8 × 25 7/16 in.)
Classification
engraving
Department
Prints and Drawings
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
223280
Art Historical Context
Created around 1630 by Flemish engraver Paul Pontius, this striking print captures the dramatic moment when Thomiris, the legendary Queen of the Scythians, confronts the severed head of Cyrus the Great. The scene draws from ancient accounts of the warrior queen’s victory over the Persian ruler, transforming a tale of conquest and retribution into a powerful visual narrative. Pontius’s engraving, rendered in fine black lines on laid paper, exemplifies the Baroque period’s fascination with intense emotion and historical drama. As a reproductive print, this work played an important role in disse...