Tarquin and Lucretia

761 Words4 Pages
Tarquin and Lucretia is an oil painting from the 1500s by Tintoretto. The piece displays the rape of Lucretia by Tarquin, illustrating the evils of tyranny. The story is well-known for being the beginning of the end to Roman tyranny, and the spark that ultimately led to a greater Rome. Tintoretto uses symbolizism, light contrast, and light contrast throughout the painting to tell the legendary story of Tarquin, the evil tyrant, and Lucretia, an innocent girl. There are several objects placed throughout Lucretia’s bedchamber. One of the most notable is her broken necklace hanging from her neck with a few of the pearls fallen to floor. The broken pearl necklace falling from her neck represents a thievery of Lucretia’s innocence through Tarquin taking physical advantage of her. The necklace not only symbolizes her lose but also illustrates to the viewer that the woman in the painting is actively distressed and under threat in the piece. Upon a closer look, more action and movement supporting the idea of a struggle is visible. The pillow falling underneath Tarquin has not reached the floor yet, allowing the view to feel actively present in the screen. The toppled sculptural bedpost appears to have been knocked over by the invader and further illustrating Tarquin’s invasion of Lucretia’s bedchambers and privacy. The ruffled bed sheets indicate a struggle as Lucretia’s body seems to be forced off the bed. Tarquin is also actively pulling at the cloth that covers Lucretia’s groin clearly incriminating him of his evil deed. The dagger at Lucretia’s feet is the only undisturbed, but prominent, object in the painting. The dagger is pointed towards her acting as a clear forshadowing to Lucretia’s fateful suicide shortly after her confession of the incident. The clear gravity in the painting, illustrated through the objects placed throughout, symbolize not only Tarquin’s

More about Tarquin and Lucretia

Open Document