The Story
According to Roman history, the rape of the virtuous matron Lucretia by Tarquin, son of the Roman king, incited the people to overthrow the monarchy and establish a republic around 510 BCE. Lucretia was hailed as a hero for subsequently committing suicide in an attempt to avoid any perceived dishonor to her family.
Tintoretto depicted one of the most violent moments of the story with his characteristic expressive distortions of anatomy and space and vibrant treatment of light: As Tarquin and Lucretia struggle, a pillow flies through the air, her pearl necklace breaks apart, and the fabric and carved posts of the bed’s canopy collapse around them.
Executed in Oil on canvas, measuring 175 × 151.5 cm (68 7/8 × 59 5/8 in.); Framed: 203.9 × 181 × 8.3 cm (80 1/4 × 71 1/4 × 3 1/4 in.), the surface rewards close looking. Tintoretto builds the composition through layered glazes and a tightly controlled palette, letting cool shadows recede so that the warm, lit passages step forward. The brushwork shifts from the precise to the almost dissolved — a hallmark of mature Renaissance practice.
“A silence so complete it becomes its own witness.”
