Artwork
Selbstmord der Lucretia
Selbstmord der Lucretia is an unspecified painting by the Flemish Baroque painting artist Daniel Seiter. It dates from 1688 and is held in the collection of the Bavarian State Painting Collections.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The imagery serves to visualize the pivotal act of suicide that defines the character's story within the genre of historical narrative art.
Daniel Seiter's 1676 history painting, Selbstmord der Lucretia, depicts the classical narrative of the suicide of Lucretia. The work centers on Lucretia as the main subject, illustrating the tragic moment of her self-inflicted death. As a history painting, the composition is dedicated to representing this specific literary and historical event from Roman antiquity.
The imagery serves to visualize the pivotal act of suicide that defines the character's story within the genre of historical narrative art.
History & Provenance
The painting Selbstmord der Lucretia was created by Daniel Seiter in 1676. Classified as a history painting, the work depicts the suicide of Lucretia. It currently resides in the collection of the Bavarian State Painting Collections and is housed at the Alte Pinakothek.
The painting Selbstmord der Lucretia is housed in the Bavarian State Painting Collections and is accessioned under the inventory number 2164. Its exhibition history includes display in the Alte Pinakothek, as documented in its provenance within the Bavarian State Painting Collections.
The work was created in 1676 by Daniel Seiter and is cataloged as a history painting depicting the suicide of Lucretia. It measures 86.4 cm in height and 71 cm in width.
Context
Critical reception of Daniel Seiter's Selbstmord der Lucretia has been limited due to its status as a relatively obscure work within 17th-century German painting. The painting's historical context is defined by its depiction of Lucretia's suicide, a subject tied to Renaissance and Baroque moral narratives exploring virtue and despair. Scholarly attention remains sparse, with no major modern analyses cited in accessible sources.
The work belongs to the history painting genre, reflecting the era's fascination with tragic heroines, and is situated within Seiter's broader output as a student of Matthias Withoos, though his wider influence is not prominently documented. Its placement in art history is chiefly noted through its location in the Bavarian State Painting Collections at the Alte Pinakothek, anchoring it within institutional efforts to preserve 17th-century German Baroque art.
Legacy
Daniel Seiter's Selbstmord der Lucretia emerged as a seminal treatment of Lucretia's suicide within German Baroque history painting, influencing subsequent depictions of the subject. Its presence in the Bavarian State Painting Collections at the Alte Pinakothek ensured continued visibility, shaping scholarly discourse on Baroque interpretations of classical narratives. The work's compositional intensity and psychological depth contributed to later artists' explorations of female subjectivity and tragic heroism in the 18th century.
Overview
Selbstmord der Lucretia is a 1688 Baroque painting by Daniel Seiter, a Vienna-born artist trained in Italy, associated with the Flemish Baroque movement. It is part of the Alte Pinakothek's collection.
Technique & Style
The work showcases chiaroscuro, with stark contrasts between light and dark creating depth and volume. A dark background and dramatic lighting heighten the intense, dramatic mood.
Artist & collection
Artist
Daniel Seiter, Saiter, or Seyter (c. 1642/1647–1705) was a Viennese-born painter of the Baroque, who trained and worked in Italy.
