De Nyobe regina thebanon · Centre for Early Modern Visual Culture

Title: De Nyobe regina thebanon
Subject: Hubris; Latona; Gods; Goddesses; Roman Mythology; Greek Mythology; Niobe
Period: 1450-1500;
Geographic: Ancient Greece; Thebes
Description: This engraving depicts Niobe, the daughter of King Tantalus of Phrygia, on the left-hand side of the engraving wearing a crown. We know that this is Niobe as the creator engraved her name beside her head to identify her. Niobe had become proud of the fact that she had more children than Latona, mother to Diana and Apollo. As punishment for her hubris against the goddess, all of Niobe’s children, as told by Boccaccio, had been killed by the plague. Her children are illustrated in the centre of the engraving, being killed by the rays of the sun which signify the plague. Grieved by the loss of all their children, Niobe’s husband, King Amphion of Thebes, killed himself with a knife. Amphion is depicted on the right-hand side of the engraving as he pierces his body with the knife. His name is engraved just above his head.
Image Creator: Anonymous (Engraver)
Type: Text; Woodcut Engraving
Identifier: mta:11914
Language: lat
Source Name: De Claris Mulieribus
Parent Collection: 1473 Ulm
Image: mta_11914_OBJ.jpg