The portrait is painted in oil on a wooden panel. It measures approximately 51 cm in width and 74 cm in height. The painting depicts a young, partially nude woman occupying the central portion of the composition. Her elaborate Renaissance gown falls open, revealing her shoulders, breasts, and abdomen. The whiteness of her silky skin contrasts sharply with the dark tones of her clothing and the curtain behind her.

Lucretia is shown from the knees upward. She stands facing forward, her head turned slightly to the left. Her face radiates calm and sorrow. Her high forehead is smooth and pale. Her large brown eyes gaze pensively into the distance. Her nose is slightly upturned, and her carmine-red lips form a heart shape in the upper lip. Her rounded cheeks bear a soft blush, and her full chin creates a gentle contour.

Her face is framed by carefully coiffed, curled blond hair. At the back, it is gathered in a thin golden net. Around her neck she wears a wide gold necklace set with rubies and pearls. Her bare shoulders are narrow, her breasts small and firm, and her shapely abdomen is exposed down to the pelvic line.

Lucretia’s arms hang downward. Her left hand is bent unnaturally to the right. In her right hand—adorned with rings—she holds a dagger. She drives the slender blade into the flawless skin beneath her right rib. The hilt is decorated with gold ornamentation. The metal blade, pointed upward, narrows significantly and becomes very thin near the tip. Drops of blood trickle from the point where it pierces her body.

The sleeves of her gown, made of burgundy velvet, are intricately ruched. White fabric emerges from the decorative slits. Her bare shoulders and abdomen are framed by the inner lining of the opened gown, made of soft brown fur. At her hips the velvet falls in loose folds. In the background, a green curtain hangs from a rod running the entire width of the painting.

Above the curtain appear the capitals of two columns supporting an arch. Across it runs a golden inscription. It identifies Lucretia, the legendary Roman patrician who lived in the 6th century BCE. According to the historian Livy, she was the beautiful wife of a Roman commander, unfailingly faithful to her husband during his military campaigns. Yet the son of the king of Rome, overcome by her beauty, assaulted her. In response, she took her own life with a dagger. Her husband avenged her death, leading an uprising against the tyrannical king. The monarchy was overthrown, and the Roman Republic was established. In painting, Lucretia became a symbol of freedom and democratic ideals.

The story of Lucretia enjoyed great popularity in early modern art.

Audio description consultation: Adrian Wyka
Content consultation: Miłosz Kargol