Tertia Emilia des ersten Scipionis Affricani gemahel · Centre for Early Modern Visual Culture

Title: Tertia Emilia des ersten Scipionis Affricani gemahel
Period: 1500-1550;
Geographic: Italy; Ancient Rome
Description: This engraving depicts Scipio Africanus, a Roman general, committing adultery with a young servant girl on the right side of the image. The woman in the centre of the engraving is his wife, Tertia Aemilia. She is depicted looking at her husband and his mistress as they commit adultery. Instead of confronting her husband about the affair, she devises a plan to get rid of the mistress. The left side of the engraving depicts Tertia Aemilia marrying the young servant girl off to a freedman. She does this so that no one finds out about the affair so that it does not ruin her reputation. The freedman is depicted kneeling down as he holds the servant girl’s hand. Boccaccio explains that he chose to write on Tertia Aemilia because the way she handled the affair and how she used her cunning was admirable.
Image Creator: Joerg Breu (Engraver)
Type: Text; Woodcut Engraving
Identifier: mta:18398
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_18398_OBJ.jpg
Collection: Early Modern Women
Subject: Scipio Africanus; Important Women; Famous Women; Adultery; Infidelity; Tertia Aemilia