Clitemestra Micenarum regina · Centre for Early Modern Visual Culture

Title: Clitemestra Micenarum regina
Subject: Aegisthus; Orestes; Important Women; Famous Women; Important Queens; Greek Legend; Infidelity; Agamemnon; Clytemnestra
Period: 1450-1500;
Geographic: Ancient Greece; Mycenae
Description: Queen Clytemnestra of Mycenae is depicted on the far-left side of the engraving wearing a crown. In front of Clytemnestra is the person she has been having an affair with: Aegisthus. Aegisthus and Clytemnestra conjured a plan to kill Clytemnestra’s husband, king Agamemnon, in order to gain control of Mycenae. Clytemnestra gave Agamemnon a piece of clothing that had no neck hole. As he struggled with the garment, the adulterer Aegisthus pierced Agamemnon with a sword (this is depicted on the left side of the image). Orestes, the son of Agamemnon and Clytemnestra, sought to avenge his father’s death. He is depicted on the right side of the engraving killing both his mother and Aegisthus.
Image Creator: Anonymous (Engraver)
Type: Text; Woodcut Engraving
Identifier: mta:18154
Language: lat
Source Name: Iohannis Bocacij in librum de claris mulieribus
Parent Collection: 1487 Leuven; 1487 Leuven
Image: mta_18154_OBJ.png
Collection: Early Modern Women
Subject: Aegisthus; Orestes; Important Women; Famous Women; Important Queens; Greek Legend; Infidelity; Agamemnon; Clytemnestra