Tarquin and Lucretia 1792

Johann Peter Pichler created this print, Tarquin and Lucretia, in the late 18th or early 19th century. It depicts a scene from Roman history, the rape of Lucretia by Tarquin, an event that led to the overthrow of the Roman monarchy and the establishment of the Republic. The image speaks to the politics of imagery. It evokes complex questions about the representation of violence, female virtue, and political power. In the 18th century, historical paintings and prints were often used to convey moral lessons and political messages. The story of Lucretia was seen as an example of the dangers of tyranny and the importance of civic virtue. Consider the social conditions that shaped the artistic production of the time. Was it meant to reinforce or critique the social structures of its time? To understand the print better, we can look to classical texts, histories of printmaking, and studies of gender and politics in the 18th century. This allows us to understand art as contingent on social and institutional context.