Porcie, femme de Brutus, avale des charbons ardants · Centre for Early Modern Visual Culture

Title: Porcie, femme de Brutus, avale des charbons ardants
Period: 1400-1450;
Geographic: Rome
Description: Portia knew that she could not live without her husband Brutus if he was killed, and had previously practiced hurting herself to see if she was capable of inflicting self-harm if Brutus died. When she eventually got word that Brutus died in battle, she had no instruments to use that would cause harm. Instead, she killed herself by swallowing hot coals. In the image, Portia is seen lying down dying as she swallows the coals, and holds more coals in her hand.
Image Creator: Master of the Cleres Femmes of the Duke of Berry (Illuminator)
Type: Text; Illumination
Identifier: mta:20213
Language: fre
Source Name: Livre des Femmes Nobles et Renommées
Parent Collection: 1403 Paris; 1403 Paris
Image: mta_20213_OBJ.png
Collection: Early Modern Women
Subject: Suicide; Coals; Portia; Brutus; Philippi