Lucretia 1675 - 1704

This marble sculpture of Lucretia was crafted by Philippe Bertrand in the late 17th or early 18th century. Behold the tragic figure of Lucretia, the Roman noblewoman, forever immortalized in her final, defiant act. Notice the cold steel against her breast, her languid pose, and the drapery that barely conceals the mortal wound she inflicts upon herself. Lucretia's suicide, a potent symbol of resistance against tyranny, echoes through the ages. Consider Sophonisba, who chose death over dishonor, or the countless heroines who embraced martyrdom rather than surrender their virtue. Each act reverberates with the same primal scream against oppression. The act of self-slaughter, though tragic, is a testament to the enduring power of the human spirit, a beacon that continues to ignite our collective memory and subconscious. The echoes of Lucretia's sacrifice remind us that honor, liberty, and resistance are timeless virtues, constantly reborn in the face of tyranny.