Lucretia Killing Herself
1638
From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum
1638
From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum
Lucretia Killing Herself is a 1638 by Sébastien Vouillemont, a Baroque work, held at Victoria and Albert Museum.
This print shows a woman lying on the floor, her body turned slightly as she reaches for a knife. She’s wrapped in flowing cloth, one arm stretched up toward the ceiling, her face tilted back like she’s gasping. The room around her looks messy—fabric is draped everywhere, and a table in the corner holds a few scattered objects. The artist used deep shadows and sharp contrasts to make her skin and the cloth look almost three-dimensional. The way light hits her body and the folds of the fabric draws your eye right to her face. Next, look up chiaroscuro to see how this dramatic lighting works.
A print on paper depicts Lucretia in the act of taking her own life, based on an earlier composition by Guido Reni.
Read the full account in the museum source.
Sébastien Vouillemont never left Paris, yet his prints traveled farther than he did.
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