Veturia and Volumnia Entreating Coriolanus to Break His Siege

From the Getty Museum record

The aged Veturia, sporting a white conical hennin headdress, and her daughter-in-law Volumnia went into enemy territory to convince Veturia’s son Coriolanus to stop waging war against his own Roman countrymen. Veturia, shown in the gesture of discourse, gave a rousing speech that successfully convinced her son of his foolishness. According to the legend, Veturia was so lauded by the Senate for her powers of persuasion that more rights were given to all the women of Rome, including the right to wear foreign and golden jewelry, to dress in royal purple, and to receive inheritances. Yet, while these new rights may have seemed like a boon to women, the author of *Concerning Famous and Noble Women*, Boccaccio, claimed that they were ultimately to the detriment of men, who would fall into poverty thanks to the riches afforded to women.