Girolamo Forabosco (Venezia, 1605 - Padova, 1679) - Oil on canvas; cm 98 x 111
The painting is attributed to the Paduan Girolamo Forabosco.
In the work there are two characters, a noble woman with a bowl in her hand and her servant, who is crying.
The canvas has two titles and two possible interpretations. The first one attributes the figure of the young lady to Sofonisba, a noble Carthaginian, who decides to commit suicide because she does not want to be imprisoned by Roman victors, so she drinks the poison in a bowl. The other interpretation favours the story of Artemisia, Mausolo's widow, who wants to drink her husbands ashes, to be his tomb (Mauseoleum).
The work comes from the Valzania Foundation.