Focus on Lucretia (Rembrandt, 1666) and explain the Subject.
This painting depicts an ancient Roman legend written by Roman historian Livy, who covered the period from early Rome through to the reign of Augustus. During the ancient Roman and Greek era, legends of women committing suicide to keep their virtue pure were popular. It was a way to promote feminine ideals to women. As the legend goes, Lucretia was a noblewoman who was married to Lucius. While her husband was out doing his duty, her husband's friend Sextus and few of his men went to visit her. They wanted to see which man had the most virtuous wife. Lucretia graciously hosted her husband's guests, and as nightfall came all the men left, except Sextus. He was determined to have Lucretia for himself. After a couple of days had passed, he went back and told her she either sleep with him, or be killed with her servant, to be framed as an affair gone wrong.
The next day, she sent a letter to her father, Lucretius, and her husband. When they arrived, she explained what had happened to her. She considered death as the only suitable punishment for her losing her chastity and value as a wife, by being raped. She stabbed herself.
Lucretia Livy Lucius Lucretius ancient Roman Augustus