Agrippina des bösen Kaysers Neronis müter · Centre for Early Modern Visual Culture

Title: Agrippina des bösen Kaysers Neronis müter
Subject: Nero; Emperor Nero; Important Women; Famous Women; Claudius; Poison; Assassination; Agrippina
Period: 1500-1550;
Geographic: Italy; Ancient Rome
Description: This engraving depicts multiple events. The right side of the engraving depicts Agrippina poisoning her husband Claudius with mushrooms. Agrippina is illustrated wearing a crown and holding a plate of mushrooms as she presents them to Claudius. Agrippina’s son, Nero, is depicted standing in between Agrippina and Claudius as he watches his stepfather eat the poisonous mushrooms. Agrippina poisoned Claudius to obtain power for herself and make her son emperor. The left side of the engraving in the foreground depicts Agrippina kneeling as she gives Claudius more poison (the mushrooms did not kill him). The background of the engraving depicts Nero as emperor, looking at his mother’s dead, naked body. He began to resent her after becoming the emperor, and after having her murdered, he observed her dead body and judged it before cremating it. Nero is depicted wearing a crown and holding a scepter, with a man beside him holding a cremation urn.
Image Creator: Joerg Breu (Engraver)
Type: Text; Woodcut Engraving
Identifier: mta:18408
Language: ger
Source Name: Ein schöne Cronica oder Hystoribuch von den fürnämlichsten Weybern [A beautiful chronicle or history book of reputable women]
Parent Collection: 1543 Stayner; 1543 Stayner
Image: mta_18408_OBJ.jpg
Collection: Early Modern Women
Subject: Nero; Emperor Nero; Important Women; Famous Women; Claudius; Poison; Assassination; Agrippina

Media: mta_18408_OBJ.jpg