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The Death of Sophonisba, 1760. Creator: Giovanni Battista Tiepolo
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The Death of Sophonisba, 1760. Creator: Giovanni Battista Tiepolo
The Death of Sophonisba, 1760. Sophonisba, who lived from 235 to 203BC, was Queen of Numidia and daughter of the Carthaginian general Hasdrubal. She married one of the Numidian chiefs, Syphax, an ally of Rome, but succeeded in dissuading him against his commitments to the Republic. Syphax was defeated at the battle of Utica by Masinissa, another Numidian chief, whom Sophonisba married, having been betrothed to him before her marriage to Syphax. Worried that this new union would also result in the defection of an ally from the Roman side, Scipio Africanus ordered Masinissa to hand over Sophonisba in order to take her as a prisoner to Rome. Unable to enter into conflict with the Roman general but determined to avoid dishonour, Masinissa sent his wife a cup of poison which she drank
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Media ID 38693019
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1760s Ancient City Arched Carthage Carthaginian Door Doors Doorway Dying Four People Giambattista Tiepolo Giovanni Battista Tiepolo Maid Museo Nacional Thyssen Bornemisza Museo Thyssen Bornemisza Nobility Noblewoman Poison Poisoned Rococo Era Second Punic War Thyssen Bornemisza Collection Thyssen Bornemisza Museum Tiepoli Giovanni Battista Tiepolo Giambattista Tiepolo Giovanni Battista Venetian Venice Italy Europe Aristocrat Giovanni Tiepolo Sophonisba Young Man
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EDITORS COMMENTS
In this poignant and powerful portrait of The Death of Sophonisba (1760), Italian master Giovanni Battista Tiepolo captures a momentous and tragic event in ancient Numidian history. Queen Sophonisba, once the wife of Syphax, an ally to Rome, is shown reclining on her bed as she takes her final breaths after drinking poison sent by her husband Masinissa. The scene unfolds with quiet dignity and solemnity, reflecting Tiepolo's mastery in conveying emotional depth through his subjects' facial expressions.
As Sophonisba succumbs to the deadly draught, a sense of resignation settles over her features, while the maid attending to her appears frozen in shock and despair. In the background, two male figures stand at attention, their faces obscured by shadows - perhaps representatives of Masinissa or Roman officials who have come to claim Sophonisba as prisoner.
Tiepolo's use of warm colors and soft lighting imbues this somber scene with a sense of intimacy and vulnerability, drawing us into the quiet drama unfolding before our eyes. This stunning oil on canvas painting is now part of the esteemed Thyssen-Bornemisza Collection in Spain.
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