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Prusias II, King of Bithynia, Reduced to Begging

Creator

French Illuminator · 1390–1430

In the early 1400s, the Boucicaut Master was the leading master of manuscript illumination in Paris and one of the most influential artists working in the International style in northern Europe. The Boucicaut Master appears to have supervised a talented team of artists who produced manuscripts commissioned by the king of France, high-ranking aristocrats, and the wealthy bourgeoisie. He probably al

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Date: about 1413–1415
Medium: Tempera colors, gold leaf, gold paint, and ink
Culture: French
Department: Manuscripts
Institution: Getty Museum

This image seemingly offers a conflicting visual message. The crown upon the man's head denotes his royal status, yet the walking stick and rucksack suggest a destitute state. Both are true since Prusias, once the rich and powerful ruler of Bithynia, was deposed by his son and reduced to begging. This punishment from God repaid Prusias for his violation of the laws of hospitality during the Second Punic War. The Carthaginian general Hannibal had asked Prusias for protection against the Roman army, but Prusias betrayed him.

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