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Original fileGvndeberga regina Longobard. boia
About This Work
Queen Gundeberga peers through the barred window of a stone prison at the left, watching her champion fight on her behalf. In the center of the plaza, a mounted knight with a raised sword dominates his unhorsed opponent while a large crowd of courtiers and soldiers observes the trial by combat. The composition uses the architectural framing of the prison to contrast the queen's captivity with the active resolution of her fate in the courtyard.
Produced by the court engraver to Rudolf II, this work reflects the Mannerist interest in moralized history and the 'Judicium Dei' (Judgment of God), where truth is revealed through physical ordeal. It illustrates the intersection of chivalric legend and providential theology within the cultural program of the 17th-century Bavarian and Imperial courts.
Inscriptions(Latin)
GVNDEBERGA REGINA LONGOBARD. BOIA. Cedite Graiugenæ: Romana Lucretia cede: Illæsâ vicit Boia pudicitiâ Ausa lacessentis spuere os infame dynastæ, Proq; fide lecti perfida vincla pati, Donec commissa est iusto pia caussa duello, Et vicit castus, iudice Marte pudor. Sic regnum famāmq; simul regina recepit, Addidit et virtus dona, perenne decus.
Translation
Gundeberga, Queen of the Lombards, a Bavarian. Yield, O Greek-born; yield, Roman Lucretia: The Bavarian woman conquered with unblemished chastity, Daring to spit in the infamous face of the challenging prince, And for the faith of the marriage bed, to suffer treacherous chains, Until the pious cause was committed to a righteous duel, And chaste modesty conquered, with Mars as the judge. Thus the queen regained both kingdom and fame at once, And virtue added gifts, an everlasting honor.
Connected Texts
Elogia Serenissimorum Boiariae Ducum
This print is part of a series of engravings published in 1615 celebrating the historical and legendary lineage of the House of Wittelsbach.
Provenance & Source
Object
Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam
paper
width 156 mm x height 220 mm
allegory
Linked Data
AI AI-cataloged fields generated by gemini-3-flash-preview on April 2, 2026. Getty identifiers are AI-inferred and may require verification.