De Leena meritrice · Centre for Early Modern Visual Culture · Center for Early Modern Visual Culture

Title: De Leena meritrice
Subject: Important Women; Prostitution; Conspiracies; Tyrants; Leaena
Period: 1450-1500;
Geographic: Ancient Greece; Athens
Description: This engraving depicts the prostitute Leaena being tortured for information regarding a conspiracy. We know that the woman being tortured in this image is Leaena as her name, spelled as “Lena”, is engraved above her head. She is depicted with her hands bound by rope, which is attached to some sort of torturing device that a man is controlling. She is also depicted standing in a fire as another torturing method. Boccaccio explains that she is being tortured for being involved in a conspiracy to overthrow a tyrant. In order to avoid revealing information to those torturing her, she bites off her own tongue. Her tongue is depicted sticking out of her mouth in this engraving. The two figures on the right-hand side are unknown by name, however, they are significant as they are the ones attempting to get information regarding the conspiracy from Leaena.
Image Creator: Anonymous (Engraver)
Type: Text; Woodcut Engraving
Identifier: mta:11957
Language: lat
Source Name: De Claris Mulieribus
Parent Collection: 1473 Ulm; 1473 Ulm
Image: mta_11957_OBJ.jpg
Collection: Early Modern Women
Subject: Important Women; Prostitution; Conspiracies; Tyrants; Leaena