Von der hausfrawen drigiagontis · Centre for Early Modern Visual Culture

Title: Von der hausfrawen drigiagontis
Period: 1500-1550;
Geographic: Asia Minor
Description: This engraving depicts the queen of the Galatians standing on the left side of the image holding a decapitated head. This woman’s name is unknown; however, she is the wife of King Drigiagon. After being taken as a captive by Roman enemies, the Galatian queen was defiled by a Roman centurion. This is depicted on the right side of the engraving as the queen is bound by a chain on her left hand while the centurion approaches her. To seek her vengeance, once she was freed through ransom, she ordered her servant to decapitate the centurion who raped her. The Galatian queen is holding the severed head as she presents it to her husband to prove that she was defiled by this man. Boccaccio explains that she wrote on this woman to highlight her daring and courageous nature.
Image Creator: Joerg Breu (Engraver)
Type: Text; Woodcut Engraving
Identifier: mta:18397
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_18397_OBJ.jpg
Collection: Early Modern Women
Subject: King Drigiagon; Important Women; Famous Women; Important Queens; Rape; Galatians