De Argia adrasti regis filia · Centre for Early Modern Visual Culture

Title: De Argia adrasti regis filia
Subject: Eteocles; Argia; Important Women; Greek Mythology; Polynices
Period: 1450-1500;
Geographic: Ancient Greece; Thebes
Description: Argia, the daughter of King Adrastus of Argos is depicted on the left-hand side of the engraving holding the body of her husband, king Polynices of Thebes. We know that these figures are indeed Argia and Polynices as the creator engraved their names beside their bodies. Boccaccio explains that Polynices had fought in a war against his brother Eteocles and died on the battlefield. Argia snuck herself onto the battlefield after the war in order to see her husband’s body. She is depicted holding his lifeless body and kissing him on the lips. Behind Polynices and Argia are the other men who had fought and died in this war. The date 1473 is engraved on the illustration as this is the date the book was published, and most likely the date that the engraving was made.
Image Creator: Anonymous (Engraver)
Type: Text; Woodcut Engraving
Identifier: mta:11937
Language: lat
Source Name: De Claris Mulieribus
Parent Collection: 1473 Ulm
Image: mta_11937_OBJ.png