Trajan and the Widow: a panel from a cassone
(c. 1450)
Medium
tempera and gold on panel
Measurements
47.0 × 161.0 cm
Credit Line
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
Gift of Robert Compton Jones through the Australian Government's Cultural Gifts Program, 2019
Gallery location
16th & 17th Century Gallery - Painting and Sculpture
Mezzanine linked to Level 1, NGV International
About this work
A cassone was an elaborately decorated chest in Renaissance-era Italy. This is a painted panel from such a chest and depicts a popular story of the Roman Emperor Trajan (53–117) who, while preparing for the Dacian Wars, was petitioned by a widow who sought justice for her murdered son. Trajan replied that he would deal with the matter on his return, but the widow persisted and so Trajan settled the case before departing for war. Here we see the widow on the right mourning over the body of her murdered son. A well-dressed youth, presumably the murderer, flees on horseback at the far right.
Artwork Details
Subjects (general)
History and Legend Human Figures Law, Civics and Protest
Subjects (specific)
armies cassoni emperors justice (philosophical concept) legends (literary genre) murders (deaths) panels (surface components) Trajan, Emperor of Rome