Medea der Künigin Colchorum · Centre for Early Modern Visual Culture

Title: Medea der Künigin Colchorum
Period: 1500-1550;
Geographic: Colchis; Thessaly; Ancient Greece; Modern day Georgia
Description: Jason of Thessaly and Medea of Colchis are illustrated riding on a horse together as they flee from Medea’s father, King Aeetes. Boccaccio explains that Medea betrayed her father by helping Jason on his task to find the Golden Fleece. Jason is seated at the front of the horse and Medea is riding behind him. Medea is depicted holding a severed head in her right hand, which is the head of her brother, Aegialeus. Medea had dismembered her own brother and scattered his limbs around the road behind her and Jason in order to distract her father from pursuing them. King Aeetes is illustrated on the left side of the engraving as he is picking up his son’s limbs.
Image Creator: Joerg Breu (Engraver)
Type: Text; Woodcut Engraving
Identifier: mta:18272
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_18272_OBJ.jpg
Collection: Early Modern Women
Subject: Medea; Jason; The Golden Fleece; King Aeetes; Important Women; Famous Women; Greek Legend