[Sempronia Rejecting a Kiss from Equitius] · Centre for Early Modern Visual Culture

Title: [Sempronia Rejecting a Kiss from Equitius]
Subject: Honour; Important Women; Famous Women; Gracchi; Sempronia
Period: 1450-1500;
Geographic: Ancient Rome; Italy
Description: This illustration depicts Sempronia, daughter of Tiberius Gracchus, rejecting a kiss from a man named Equitius in front of a tribune of plebeians. Boccaccio explains that after her brothers were murdered, Sempronia was brought to trial by a tribune of plebeians. They told her to let herself be kissed by Equitius and accept him as a member of the Sempronian family, however, Sempronia rejects this to protect her family’s honour and nobility. Equitius is depicted with his arm around Sempronia as he attempts to kiss her. Sempronia has her face turned to the side to avoid his embrace. The other figures in the image are pointing at Sempronia with angered faces on their looks. Boccaccio explains that he wrote on Sempronia to highlight her courage and bravery in this situation.
Image Creator: Anonymous (Illuminator)
Type: Text; Illumination
Identifier: mta:12026
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_12026_OBJ.jpg