Zelfdoding van Lucretia 1589 - 1626

Bartholomeus Willemsz. Dolendo created this engraving, "Suicide of Lucretia," using detailed lines to build the composition. The stark contrast between light and shadow intensifies the emotional weight of the scene. The figure of Lucretia dominates the composition, her form rendered with meticulous detail. Her body is not idealized; rather, Dolendo captures the realistic texture of her skin. Note how her hair, rendered with repetitive, flowing lines, contrasts with the rigid folds of the curtain behind her. This contrast creates a tension between movement and stillness, echoing the inner turmoil of the subject. Consider the semiotics of the sword—a symbol of both violence and honor. Its placement, piercing Lucretia's chest, is not merely descriptive but a symbolic gesture. It challenges the patriarchal values by reclaiming agency over her own body and narrative. Dolendo uses the formal elements of line and form to disrupt traditional interpretations of virtue and female identity.