The Martyrdom of Lucretia

From the Getty Museum record

While the Roman Tarquinius Collatinus was at war, he and his comrades decided to check on the activities of their wives back home to see who was the most faithful and praiseworthy. Lucretia, Collatinus’s wife, was the clear winner. At that time, one of Collatinus’s men, Sextus, plotted to sexually assault Lucretia. After he had committed this heinous crime, Sextus’s actions were exposed by Lucretia to her family. Despite having been absolved from the sin of adultery since it was committed while under duress, Lucretia decided to end her life by the sword rather than continue living. During the period in which this text was written by Giovanni Boccaccio, Lucretia’s self-sacrifice was seen as a virtuous act meant to preserve her honor. Her dynamic pose in the image underscores the drama of her choice.