The Three Heathen Heroines (Drei Gut Haidin), from Heroes and Heroines 1519

Editor: So, here we have Hans Burgkmair’s woodcut from 1519, “The Three Heathen Heroines.” It's stark and imposing. The figures command the space, but there's also an odd passivity in their gazes. What historical narratives might Burgkmair be engaging with here? Curator: Exactly. The "heathen" aspect is key. Burgkmair isn't simply celebrating female virtue, but presenting figures from outside the Christian tradition as paragons. Lucrecia, Veturia, and Virginia – each embodies a certain type of Roman ideal, but they are also being utilized within the context of Reformation-era debates. How might their stories have resonated differently in the early 16th century compared to their original context? Editor: That’s interesting. I guess I hadn’t considered the Reformation angle. They seem so stoic, almost frozen in place, like symbols rather than individuals. What’s the significance of grouping them together? Is it simply to show a range of virtues? Curator: Perhaps. But consider also how virtue was being debated during that period. By visually aligning them, Burgkmair might be suggesting that exemplary behavior transcends religious boundaries, challenging the Church's monopoly on morality. Does the presentation of these heroines also reveal anything about the role of women within that societal context, and how their roles as heroines have been revised since the Reformation? Editor: That framing really shifts my perspective on the piece. I initially saw it as a straightforward historical tableau, but now I see the potential for a much more subversive message. Thank you. Curator: And thank you. Looking at historical works through a contemporary lens of social justice invites exciting interpretations.