Zenobie royne · Centre for Early Modern Visual Culture · Center for Early Modern Visual Culture

Title: Zenobie royne
Subject: Important Women; Famous Women; Important Queens; Zenobia
Period: 1450-1500;
Geographic: Modern day Syria; Palmyra
Description: This illustration depicts Zenobia, the queen of Palmyra, wrestling with a bear. Boccaccio explains that Zenobia had cast aside womanly duties and practices and was incredibly strong and independent. She often spent her time in the woods where she would hunt animals such as bears and lions, which is why this illustration depicts her fighting a bear. Zenobia had such strength that when her husband went to war, she hid under her armour and fought alongside him.
Image Creator: Anonymous (Illuminator)
Type: Text; Illumination
Identifier: mta:17115
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; 1493 Paris
Image: mta_17115_OBJ.png
Collection: Early Modern Women
Subject: Important Women; Famous Women; Important Queens; Zenobia