Aiax bringt sich selber umb · Centre for Early Modern Visual Culture

Title: Aiax bringt sich selber umb
Period: 1550-1600;
Geographic: Ancient Greece; Troy; Asia Minor
Description: This engraving illustrates Ajax killing himself after finding out that he lost a debate to Ulysses. The prize of the debate was the armor and weapons of the great Achilles. Ajax, despite being Achilles cousin, lost the debate and therefore lost the right to take the armor. After hearing that Ulysses won, Ajax took his sword and stabbed himself with it. The blood that is illustrated pouring out of Ajax sprouts a flower as it hits the ground. The blood transforms into a hyacinth flower.
Image Creator: Virgil Solis (Engraver)
Type: Text; Woodcut Engraving
Identifier: mta:23230
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_23230_OBJ.jpg
Collection: Ovid's Metamorphoses
Subject: Ajax; Ulysses; Achilles; Gods; Goddesses; Roman Mythology; Greek Mythology