Some areas that would not have been particularly visible have been left unworked – for example, the back parts of Lucretia’s head, or the father’s left thumb. Other than the loss of the top section, the relief is overall in very good condition, with just some minor losses, such as Spurius Lucretius’s left toes, and the fingers of Lucretia’s left hand. Lucretia originally held a small dagger, the hilt of which, now lost, was probably made of metal, inserted into a small hole in her right hand. Holes on the top edge of the relief seem to confirm that there was originally a separately carved top section, which would have completed the arches.
Behind the figures are three columns, the one on the left fluted, the others plain, and the beginnings of arches. The figures stand upon a small integral base, curved at the left and right edges, with Lucretius’s left foot projecting over it. She is flanked on her left by an elderly man, presumably her father, Spurius Lucretius, and on her right by a young woman, probably her maidservant, who appears to cry out. The sculpture depicts the Roman heroine Lucretia as she commits suicide by plunging a dagger into her stomach below her right breast, following her violent rape by Sextus Tarquinius. Previously entirely unknown to scholars, its appearance on the art market in 2020 was one of the most important art-historical discoveries of recent years. This beautiful and refined relief is a masterpiece of Italian Renaissance sculpture. Sale, Christie’s, London, 29 July 2020, lot 15
When news reached the king in Ardea, he left for Rome, but the gates were closed against him. A band led by Brutus was sent to the army at Ardea, to take control in place of the king Lucretius, who had already been appointed prefect, was left in command in Rome. The people decided to expel the king and banish his family. In Rome, some of the leading men joined the band and there Brutus again spoke of the terrible crime commited by prince, and all the other outrages suffered by the people under king Tarquinius Superbus. Collatia was garrisoned and the armed band left for Rome, led by Brutus. There, the words and passion of these men inflamed a band to march to Rome. Collatinus, Lucretius and Valerius joined in his oath and then they carried the body of Lucretia to the forum. In the first moment of grief and shock, Brutus pulled out the bloody dagger and swore to avenge Lucretia and all others who had been wronged by the king, stopping at nothing short of the expulsion of the king from Rome. She, however, prefered death to even a hint of dishonor and, pulling a dagger from her clothes, took her own life. The men tried to console her, calling her blameless, as force had been used. Lucretia tearfully told what had happened and asked each of the men to seek revenge. Her father came with Publius Valerius and her husband arrived with Lucius Junius Brutus. Rather than leave this legacy of dishonor for her husband, she relented.Īs soon as Sextus Tarquinius had left, Lucretia sent urgent messages to her father, Spurius Lucretius, and to her husband, telling them to come to her in haste, as a terrible thing had happened. She resisted until he threateded to kill both her and a slave, and make it seem that she had been killed when caught in an act of audultery. Late at night, the prince entered Lucretia's room, and attempted to rape her. Collatinus and the others were welcomed into the house, among them Sextus Tarquinius, son of the king.Ī few days later, Sextus Tarquinius secretly returned to the house of Collatinus Tarquinius, where he was given dinner and lodging by Lucretia. In Collatia, however, Lucretia, wife of Collatinus Tarquinius, (son of Egerius), was up in the middle of the night with her servants, working wool. In Rome they saw that the daughters-in-law of the king were enjoying a lavish dinner-party. They decided to ride their horses to secretly observe their wives. One day, some of the young leaders of the Roman army were boasting about the virtues of their wives, each claiming to have the best. In the time of king Tarquinius Superbus, the Romans were laying siege to Ardea, in the territory of the Rutulians.
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