Artemisia
Georg Pencz · c. 1539 · Art Institute of Chicago
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Queen Artemisia II of ancient Caria (died 350 B.C.) was renowned throughout history as a devoted spouse. In Georg Pencz’s engraving, she drinks the ashes of her husband, Mausolus, which she has mixed with wine, in order to turn her body into his living tomb. Artemisia ruled in her husband’s stead for two years, during which time she built a magnificent building at Halicarnassus (now Bodrum, Turkey) to house their combined remains. Although the structure, which was one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, has been lost, the word mausoleum still reflects the grandeur of Artemisia’s monument to Mausolus.
The museum’s own description, in English. Licence: CC BY 4.0
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Details
- Maker
- Georg Pencz, German, c. 1500-1550
- Date
- c. 1539
- Medium
- Engraving in black on ivory laid paper
- Dimensions
- Image/plate/sheet: 19.7 × 13.7 cm (7 13/16 × 5 7/16 in.)
- Place of origin
- Germany
- Held by
- Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago · Not on view
- Credit line
- Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Potter Palmer
Image: Art Institute of Chicago, CC0
