Von Rhea Ylia · Centre for Early Modern Visual Culture · Center for Early Modern Visual Culture

Title: Von Rhea Ylia
Subject: Rhea Silvia; Remus; Romulus; Vestal Virgin; Important Women; Famous Women; Rhea Ilia
Period: 1450-1500;
Geographic: Alba Longa; Italy; Ancient Rome
Description: The vestal virgin Rhea Ilia is depicted on the right side of the engraving, lying in a bed with her eyes shut. We know that this is Rhea as her name is engraved beside her body. She has a saddened expression on her face as she had just given birth to twin boys named Remus and Romulus who were forced to be exposed. Boccaccio explains that as a vestal virgin, she was forbidden from becoming pregnant. Her son’s Remus and Romulus are depicted on the left side of the engraving being exposed through the window. Remus's name is engraved at the top left corner of the image. There are wolves surrounding Romulus as the mother wolf ends up raising the boys as her own. Rhea is buried alive for her punishment.
Image Creator: Anonymous (Engraver)
Type: Text; Woodcut Engraving
Identifier: mta:18032
Language: ger
Source Name: Hyenach volget der kurcz syn von ettlichen frauen von denen johannes boccacius in latein beschriben hat und doctor heinricus stainhöwel geteütschet [Following the short stories of several women of which Giovanni Boccaccio wrote in Latin, and doctor Heinrich Steinhöwel translated]
Parent Collection: 1473 Augsburg
Image: mta_18032_OBJ.png