De Rea Ilia: sacerdotissa: virgen de vesta · Centre for Early Modern Visual Culture

Title: De Rea Ilia: sacerdotissa: virgen de vesta
Period: 1450-1500;
Geographic: Ancient Rome; Italy; Alba Longa
Description: The vestal virgin Rhea Ilia is depicted on the right side of the engraving, lying in a bed with her eyes shut. We know that this is Rhea as her name is engraved beside her body. She has a saddened expression on her face as she had just given birth to twin boys named Remus and Romulus who were forced to be exposed. Boccaccio explains that as a vestal virgin, she was forbidden from becoming pregnant. Her son’s Remus and Romulus are depicted on the left side of the engraving being exposed through the window. Remus's name is engraved at the top left-hand corner of the image. There are wolves surrounding Romulus as the mother wolf ends up raising the boys as her own. Rhea is buried alive for her punishment.
Image Creator: Anonymous (Engraver)
Type: Text; Woodcut Engraving
Identifier: mta:16668
Language: spa
Source Name: De Las Mujeres Ilustres [On Famous Women]
Parent Collection: 1494 Mujeres Ilustres; 1494 Mujeres Ilustres
Image: mta_16668_OBJ.png
Collection: Early Modern Women
Subject: Famous Women; Rhea Silvia; Rhea Ilia; Romulus; Remus; Roman Legends; Important Women