Von Argia polinici gemahel · Centre for Early Modern Visual Culture

Title: Von Argia polinici gemahel
Subject: Polynices; Important Women; Famous Women; Eteocles; War; Greek Legends; Argia
Period: 1450-1500;
Geographic: Ancient Greece; Argos; Thebes
Description: Argia, the daughter of King Adrastus of Argos is depicted on the right side of the engraving holding the body of her husband, king Polynices of Thebes. We know that these figures are Argia and Polynices as the creator engraved their names above 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 to see her husband’s body. She is depicted holding his lifeless body and kissing him on the lips. Behind Polynices are the other men who had fought and died in this war.
Image Creator: Anonymous (Engraver)
Type: Text; Woodcut Engraving
Identifier: mta:17981
Language: ger
Source Name: Hyenach volget der kurcz syn von ettlichen frauen von denen johannes boccacius in latein beschriben hat und doctor heinricus stainhöwel geteütschet [Following the short stories of several women of which Giovanni Boccaccio wrote in Latin, and doctor Heinrich Steinhöwel translated]
Parent Collection: 1473 Augsburg; 1473 Augsburg
Image: mta_17981_OBJ.png
Collection: Early Modern Women
Subject: Polynices; Important Women; Famous Women; Eteocles; War; Greek Legends; Argia