La reine Sophonisbe boit le venin envoyé par son mari · Centre for Early Modern Visual Culture

Title: La reine Sophonisbe boit le venin envoyé par son mari
Period: 1400-1450;
Geographic: Numidia
Description: When Masinissa, Sophonisba’s husband, realized that he could not keep his promise that Sophonisba would never fall into Roman hands, he knew there was only one way he could protect her. He ordered his loyal servant to bring him poison that he kept for emergencies as such. He offered it to Sophonisba and told her that he felt it was what he had to do, but that it was her decision to make. Unhappy about her fate, but knowing it was what was best for her, Sophonisba drank the poison without any fear. Masinissa is depicted in the red cloak, looking sadly at Sophonisba. The servant who offered the poison is in the white cloak, looking upward at Sophonisba who is depicted drinking the poison and then falling to her death. She wears the blue gown, and in the first depiction is drinking out of the goblet of poison. In the second depiction, the goblet is passed back to the servant, and she is falling to her death.
Image Creator: Master of the Cleres Femmes of the Duke of Berry (Illuminator)
Type: Text; Illumination
Identifier: mta:20198
Language: fre
Source Name: Livre des Femmes Nobles et Renommées
Parent Collection: 1403 Paris; 1403 Paris
Image: mta_20198_OBJ.png
Collection: Early Modern Women
Subject: Bravery; Sophonisba; Poison; Suicide