A woman in labor imploring the aid of Lucina set within a decorative cartouche, from "Loves, Rages and Jealousies of Juno" 1531 - 1576

Giulio Bonasone created this engraving, "A woman in labor imploring the aid of Lucina," sometime in the 16th century. The print shows a woman in childbirth, surrounded by attendants, appealing to Lucina, the Roman goddess of childbirth. Made in Italy during the Renaissance, the image reflects a culture deeply influenced by classical mythology and a patriarchal social structure. Childbirth, a critical event for family lineage and social stability, was fraught with danger. The appeal to Lucina underscores the reliance on divine intervention in a time of limited medical knowledge, and the role of women as mothers. This print presents childbirth as a spectacle for the viewer, and the text below the image suggests that Bonasone intended it to be educational. Understanding this artwork requires us to consider the era's social norms around gender, family, and religion. Resources like historical texts and studies of Renaissance art and culture can provide insight into the print’s meaning and function. Art becomes more meaningful when we explore it through its contemporary social and institutional context.