Myrrha wil sich selbs erhengen

Title

Myrrha wil sich selbs erhengen

Period

1550-1600;

Geographic

Ancient Greece

Description

This engraving illustrates a young girl named Myrrha attempting to kill herself by hanging. She does this due to her sinful thoughts of lusting over her father. Myrrha understood that her thoughts were wrong, so she decided to kill herself to evade her incestuous feelings. Myrrha’s nurse came into the room as she heard moaning, and she cut her from the constricting rope when she saw Myrrha hanging. The nurse is also illustrated holding Myrrha on the ground after she cuts her free. The nurse comforts Myrrha and inquires as to why she tried to kill herself. Reluctantly, Myrrha eventually shares her incestuous thoughts with her loyal nurse, who had promised to help her.

Image Creator

Virgil Solis (Engraver)

Type

Text

Woodcut Engraving

Identifier

mta:23196

Language

ger

Source Name

P. Ouidij Nasonis, deß Sinnreichen und hochverstendigen Poeten, Metamorphoses oder Verwandlung, mit schönen figuren gezieret, auch kurzen Argumenten und außlegungen erkläret, und in Teutsche Reymen gebracht, durch Johann Spreng von Augspurg [Publius Ovidius Naso, the Ingenious and Highly Understandable Poet, Metamorphoses or Transformations, Adorned with Beautiful Images, and also descriptions of Short Arguments and Explanations, Brought into German Rhymes by Johann Spreng of Augsburg]

Parent Collection

1564 Frankfurt Spreng

Image

mta_23196_OBJ.jpg

Collection

Ovid's Metamorphoses

Subject

Myrrha

Incest

Suicide

Roman Mythology

Greek Mythology