[A Roman Woman Saves Her Mother with her own Breast Milk] · Centre for Early Modern Visual Culture

Title: [A Roman Woman Saves Her Mother with her own Breast Milk]
Subject: Filial Devotion; Important Women
Period: 1450-1500;
Geographic: Italy; Ancient Rome
Description: This image depicts the story of a young Roman woman who saved her mother from starving to death. Boccaccio explains that this young woman’s mother had been sentenced to death, and when she was locked away to die of starvation, her daughter saved her with her own breast milk. The young woman is depicted sitting down with her breasts exposed as she provides milk to her mother. The young woman’s belly is large as she had just given birth, which is why she is able to produce the milk. Boccaccio explains that he wrote on this unknown young woman due to her filial devotion.
Image Creator: Anonymous (Illuminator)
Type: Text; Illumination
Identifier: mta:12017
Language: frm
Source Name: De la louenge et vertu des nobles et cleres dames [Of praise and virtue of the noble and clergy women]
Parent Collection: 1493 Paris
Image: mta_12017_OBJ.jpg