Artwork
The Suicide of Lucretia
The Suicide of Lucretia is an unspecified painting by the Northern Renaissance artist Lucas Cranach the Elder. It dates from 1532 and is held in the collection of the Israel Museum.
About this work
Overview
Lucas Cranach the Elder’s 1532 oil painting titled The Suicide of Lucretia presents a solitary female figure at the moment of self‑inflicted death. The composition is dominated by a dark backdrop that isolates the subject, emphasizing the gravity of the scene.
Subject & Meaning
The work portrays Lucretia, the Roman noblewoman whose suicide after a sexual assault became a moral exemplar of chastity and civic virtue in Renaissance thought. Her downward gaze and resigned posture suggest a conscious, purposeful act.
Technique & Style
Cranach employs a restrained palette of whites, dark cloaks and muted tones, with a stark contrast between the illuminated figure and the surrounding gloom. The fine rendering of the fur‑trimmed cloak, necklace and headpiece reflects his characteristic attention to textile detail.
History & Provenance
Created in 1532, the painting now belongs to the collection of the Israel Museum in Jerusalem, where it is displayed as part of the museum’s European Renaissance holdings.
Artist & collection
Artist
Lucas Cranach the Elder was a German Renaissance painter and printmaker in woodcut and engraving.
