Argia pollinici coniuge et adrasti regis filia · Centre for Early Modern Visual Culture

Title: Argia pollinici coniuge et adrasti regis filia
Period: 1450-1500;
Geographic: Ancient Greece; Thebes
Description: Argia, the daughter of King Adrastus of Argos is depicted on the right side of the engraving holding the body of her husband, King Polynices of Thebes. Boccaccio explains that Polynices had fought in a war against his brother Eteocles and died on the battlefield. Argia snuck herself onto the battlefield after the war to see her husband’s body. She is depicted holding his lifeless body and kissing him on the lips. Behind Polynices are the other men who had fought and died in this war. Boccaccio believes her to be praiseworthy as it took courage to risk her life in order to find her husband on the battlefield.
Image Creator: Anonymous (Engraver)
Type: Text; Woodcut Engraving
Identifier: mta:18148
Language: lat
Source Name: Iohannis Bocacij in librum de claris mulieribus
Parent Collection: 1487 Leuven; 1487 Leuven
Image: mta_18148_OBJ.png
Collection: Early Modern Women
Subject: Polynices; Important Women; Famous Women; Important Queens; War; Eteocles; Greek Legend; Argia