De Sapho puella lesbia et poeta · Centre for Early Modern Visual Culture

Title: De Sapho puella lesbia et poeta
Subject: Poetry; Sappho; Important Women
Period: 1450-1500;
Geographic: Lesbos; Ancient Greece
Description: This engraving depicts Sappho, the famous poetess from Lesbos, sitting in the foreground while playing a stringed instrument. We know that this is Sappho as her name is engraved above her head. There are other stringed instruments and sheet music surrounding her. Sappho was in love with a man (depicted on the right-hand side of the engraving) who did not share the mutual feelings. Boccaccio explains that this is the reason as to why her poems and music verses were so somber.
Image Creator: Anonymous (Engraver)
Type: Text; Woodcut Engraving
Identifier: mta:11953
Language: lat
Source Name: De Claris Mulieribus
Parent Collection: 1473 Ulm
Image: mta_11953_OBJ.jpg