Nyobe regina Thebanorum · Centre for Early Modern Visual Culture

Title: Nyobe regina Thebanorum
Subject: Hubris; Gods; Goddesses; Important Women; Famous Women; Important Queens; Roman Mythology; Niobe
Period: 1450-1500;
Geographic: Ancient Greece; Thebes
Description: This engraving depicts Niobe, the daughter of King Tantalus of Phrygia, on the right side of the engraving wearing a crown. Niobe became proud of the fact that she had more children than Latona, the mother of Diana and Apollo. As punishment for her hubris against the goddess, all of Niobe’s children had been killed by the plague. Her children are depicted dead in the centre of the engraving. 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 left side of the engraving as he pierces his body with the knife.
Image Creator: Anonymous (Engraver)
Type: Text; Woodcut Engraving
Identifier: mta:18136
Language: lat
Source Name: Iohannis Bocacij in librum de claris mulieribus
Parent Collection: 1487 Leuven; 1487 Leuven
Image: mta_18136_OBJ.jpg
Collection: Early Modern Women
Subject: Hubris; Gods; Goddesses; Important Women; Famous Women; Important Queens; Roman Mythology; Niobe