[Niobe Commits Hubris Whilst Surrounded by her Children] · Centre for Early Modern Visual Culture

Title: [Niobe Commits Hubris Whilst Surrounded by her Children]
Subject: Niobe; Important Queens; Roman Mythology; Greek Mythology; Hubris; Important Women
Period: 1450-1500;
Geographic: Ancient Greece; Thebes
Description: This illustration depicts Niobe, queen of Thebes, on the right side of the illustration with her many children standing behind her. Niobe had many sons and daughters with her husband, king Amphion of Thebes, which made her incredibly proud. Boccaccio explains that when the city of Thebes was making sacrifices to Latona, the mother of Apollo and Diana, Niobe declared that she is more worthy of the sacrifices than Latona because she had more children than her. Niobe is depicted arguing this to two male (most likely noble) citizens of Thebes in the illustration, who seem discontent with her statements. Niobe eventually was punished for speaking against the Gods by having all her children die.
Image Creator: Anonymous (Illuminator)
Type: Text; Illumination
Identifier: mta:11986
Language: frm
Source Name: De la louenge et vertu des nobles et cleres dames [Of praise and virtue of the noble and clergy women]
Parent Collection: 1493 Paris; 1493 Paris
Image: mta_11986_OBJ.png
Collection: Early Modern Women
Subject: Niobe; Important Queens; Roman Mythology; Greek Mythology; Hubris; Important Women