Camilla volscoru regina · Centre for Early Modern Visual Culture

Title: Camilla volscoru regina
Period: 1450-1500;
Geographic: Italy; Latium
Description: Metabus, king of the Volscians, is depicted on the left side of the engraving with a lance in his hands. Boccaccio explains that after being exiled from his kingdom, he took his only daughter with him to safety. When he came across a river, he tied his daughter Camilla to a lance and hurled it across the river in order to save her. Camilla is depicted laying down as her father secures the lance onto her body. They both survived, and Camilla grew up to be a strong, fierce warrior. Camilla goes to war against the Trojans and ends up getting wounded by a Trojan knight named Arruns. This is depicted in the background of the engraving, as Camilla is seen riding on her horse with a lance under her arm while she charges at the enemy. The enemy’s lance is illustrated piercing the chest of Camilla which ends up killing her.
Image Creator: Anonymous (Engraver)
Type: Text; Woodcut Engraving
Identifier: mta:18160
Language: lat
Source Name: Iohannis Bocacij in librum de claris mulieribus
Parent Collection: 1487 Leuven; 1487 Leuven
Image: mta_18160_OBJ.jpg
Collection: Early Modern Women
Subject: Famous Women; Important Queens; Camilla; Metabus; Volscians; Important Women