Ysis regina et dea Egiptirum · Centre for Early Modern Visual Culture

Title: Ysis regina et dea Egiptirum
Subject: Gods; Goddesses; Important Women; Famous Women; Heifers; Argus; Jupiter; Roman Mythology; Greek Mythology; Isis
Period: 1450-1500;
Geographic: Ancient Egypt; Ancient Greece
Description: This engraving illustrates the story of Isis and Jupiter. Jupiter is depicted in the center of the engraving with his arms wrapped around Isis as he shows his affection for her. Boccaccio explains that Jupiter transformed her into a cow and gave her as a gift to Juno in order to hide his crime of raping her. Mercury saved Isis by killing Argus, Isis’ 100 eyed guardian. Mercury is on the right side of the engraving piercing the body of Argus with his sword. Isis is visible in the background of the engraving sitting on a ship. She sailed to Egypt after being transformed back into her human form. The sail on the ship has a heifer emblem to signify her transformation into a cow.
Image Creator: Anonymous (Engraver)
Type: Text; Woodcut Engraving
Identifier: mta:18130
Language: lat
Source Name: Iohannis Bocacij in librum de claris mulieribus
Parent Collection: 1487 Leuven; 1487 Leuven
Image: mta_18130_OBJ.jpg
Collection: Early Modern Women
Subject: Gods; Goddesses; Important Women; Famous Women; Heifers; Argus; Jupiter; Roman Mythology; Greek Mythology; Isis