Porcia Cathonis uticensis filia · Centre for Early Modern Visual Culture

Title: Porcia Cathonis uticensis filia
Subject: Famous Women; Portia; Cassius; Brutus; Julius Caesar; Assassination; Suicide; Important Women
Period: 1450-1500;
Geographic: Italy; Ancient Rome
Description: This engraving depicts three separate events. The far left of the engraving depicts a man named Brutus having a discussion with his wife Portia. Brutus is telling his wife the conspiracy plan to kill Julius Caesar. After hearing the conspiracy plans, Portia took a barber’s razor and cut herself with it. The engraving depicts the barber’s razor sticking out of her foot. She does this to prepare herself in case she has to kill herself should the conspiracy not work out in Brutus’ favour. The centre of the engraving depicts the assassination of Julius Caesar. Brutus is on the right side of Caesar, stabbing him in the chest. A man named Cassius is behind Caesar as he stabs his abdominal area. The far right of the engraving depicts Portia eating burning hot coals from the fire beside her after hearing of her husband’s death.
Image Creator: Anonymous (Engraver)
Type: Text; Woodcut Engraving
Identifier: mta:18227
Language: lat
Source Name: Iohannis Bocacij in librum de claris mulieribus
Parent Collection: 1487 Leuven; 1487 Leuven
Image: mta_18227_OBJ.png
Collection: Early Modern Women
Subject: Famous Women; Portia; Cassius; Brutus; Julius Caesar; Assassination; Suicide; Important Women