Married to Her Passion: the Ace Roman Painter Iaia, Pliny the Elder Nat. Hist. 35.147-148

Iaia, The Best of Women Artists

Name: Pliny the Elder Date: 23 – 79 CE Region:  Como [modern Italy]; Rome [modern Italy] Citation:  Natural History, 35.147-148

There were also women painters:

·         Timarete, the daughter of Micon, [the creator of] Diana, a painting in Ephesus that is among the oldest

·         Irene, the daughter and protégé of the painter Cratinus, [the creator of] Proserpina (which is on display at Eleusis), as well as a painting of Calypso, an old man, and the juggler Theodorus, as well as the dancer Alcisthenes

·         Aristarete, the daughter and protégé of Nearchus, [the creator of] Aesculapius

·         Iaia of Cyzicus, who never married, was a painter at Rome during the time of Marcus Varro’s youth, did both paintings and engravings in ivory. Her specialty was portraits of women, the most famous of which is on display at Naples, a huge portrait of an old woman, as well as a self portrait in a mirror. No painter was faster at the art, and she was so skilled that her works were more valuable than even very famous artists of the time period, Sopolis and Dionysius, whose paintings litter our modern museums.

·         Some woman named Olympias, but the only thing we really still know about her was that she had a protégé named Autobulus.

Pinxere et mulieres:

·        Timarete, Miconis filia, Dianam, quae in tabula Ephesi est antiquissimae picturae;

·        Irene, Cratini pictoris filia et discipula, puellam, quae est Eleusine, Calypso, senem et praestigiatorem Theodorum, Alcisthenen saltatorem;

·        Aristarete, Nearchi filia et discipula, Aesculapium.

·        Iaia Cyzicena, perpetua virgo, M. Varronis iuventa Romae et penicillo pinxit et cestro in ebore imagines mulierum maxime et Neapoli anum in grandi tabula, suam quoque imaginem ad speculum. Nec ullius velocior in pictura manus fuit, artis vero tantum, ut multum manipretiis antecederet celeberrimos eadem aetate imaginum pictores Sopolim et Dionysium, quorum tabulae pinacothecas inplent.

Pinxit et quaedam Olympias, de qua hoc solum memoratur, discipulum eius fuisse Autobulum.

Pliny the Elder [Gaius Plinius Secundus; 23 – 79 CE, modern Italy] was an Italian-born Roman statesman and author who lived during the reigns of the early Roman emperors. He spent most of his life in service of his country; he ultimately gave his life in arranging the evacuation of the regions devastated by the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius in 79 CE. His work, the Natural History, is a 37-volume collection of art, history, and science of the ancient world.

A Statue of Hermaphroditus, Greek Anthology 2.102-3, 5

Although intersex people were not treated well throughout Roman history [cf. Pliny NH vii.iii.34], Greco-Roman authors were fascinated by the concept of a person who could transcend the rigid gender roles imposed by society. The following is a description of a statue of Hermaphroditus:

And here’s a statue of Hermaphroditus, who is neither entirely male or female;

Rather they are a mixture.  At first glance, you’d think,

“This is Hermes’ & Venus’ kid.”…

Hermaphroditus’ body mixes the beauty of every body.

Hermaphroditus adest, nec vir nec femina totus,

Mixta sed effigies: consectu corporis ipsum

Mercurio dices & pulchra Cypride natum....

Mixta gerens gemino de sexu signa decoris.

ἵστατο δ᾽ Ἑρμαφρόδιτος ἐπήρατος, οὔθ᾽ ὅλος ἀνήρ,

οὐδὲ γυνή: μικτὸν γὰρ ἔην βρέτας ἦ τάχα κοῦρον

Κύπριδος εὐκόλποιο καὶ Ἑρμάωνος ἐνίψεις:...

ξυνῆς ἀγλαΐης κεκερασμένα σήματα φαίνων.

--Greek Anthology 2.102-3, 5 [V.21 in previous edition]; Translated into Latin by Hugo Grotius

The Greek Anthology is a modern collection of Greek lyric poetry compiled from various sources over the course of Greco-Roman literature. The current collection was created from two major sources, one from the 10^th century CE and one from the 14^th century CE. The anthology contains authors spanning the entirety of Greek literature, from archaic poets to Byzantine Christian poets. 

A Poem and a Picture: Two Poems of Nossis

 

Name:   Nossis Date:      3rd century BCE Region:  Locris [modern Italy] Citation:      Greek Anthology  9.604, 9.605

Nossis is one of the best preserved women poets of ancient Greece. In these two poems, she captures the beauty of art in her poetry.

This is a painting of Thaumetra:

Look at how well depicted are

her joyous spirit and gentle-eyed expression.

A guard dog puppy would wag her tail at the sight

Thinking her lady was still at home.

Θαυμαρέτας μορφὰν ὁ πίναξ ἔχει: εὖ γε τὸ γαῦρον

τεῦξε τὸ θ᾽ ὡραῖον τᾶς ἀγανοβλεφάρου.

σαίνοι κέν ς᾽ ἐσιδοῖσα καὶ οἰκοφύλαξ σκυλάκαινα,

δέσποιναν μελάθρων οἰομένα ποθορῆν.

Thaumaretae formam tabula habet; bene utique elatum animum

effinxit et pulchritudinem placidis-conspicuae-oculus.

Blandiretur te conspecta etiam domus-custos catella,

dominam aedium se putans adspicere.

Translated by Hugo Grotius

Callo dedicated a painting of herself

in the temple of golden-haired Aphrodite.

How serenely she appears! Look at how gracefully she shines.

Well done! For her life is blameless.

τὸν πίνακα ξανθᾶς Καλλὼ δόμον εἰς Ἀφροδίτας

εἰκόνα γραψαμένα πάντ᾽ ἀνέθηκεν ἴσαν.

ὡς ἀγανῶς ἕστακεν ἴδ᾽ ἁ χάρις ἁλίκον ἀνθεῖ.

χαιρέτω: οὔ τινα γὰρ μέμψιν ἔχει βιοτᾶς.

Tabulatam flavae Callo in domo Veneris

dedicavit, pingi-quae-iusserat imaginem omnino similem.

Ut placide adstat! Vide, gratia eius quandum floreat.

Valeat: non ullam enim reprehensionem habet vitae.

 Translated by Hugo Grotius 

Nossis [3^rd century BCE, modern Italy] was considered among the famous nine women poets of ancient Greek literature. She lived in Locris (southern Italy) during the 3rd century. Several of her poems are preserved in the Greek Anthology. Like that of her literary predecessor Sappho, Nossis’ poetry provides great insight into the lives of women in the ancient world.

Women Supporting Women: Nossis' Trip to the Temple, Greek Anthology IX.332.1-3

In this poem, the Greek poet Nossis advertises the accomplishments of Polyarchis, a woman who was wealthy enough to purchase a gilded statue of Aphrodite to her local temple.

 Let’s go to the Temple of Aphrodite

And see her golden statue there.

Polyarchis provided it...

Ingressae templum spectemus Veneris

signum, ut auro fabrefactum exstat.

Statuit hoc Polyarchis...

Ἐλθοῖσαι ποτὶ ναὸν ἰδώμεθα τᾶς Ἀφροδίτας

τὸ βρέτας, ὡς χρυσῷ διαδαλόεν τελέθει.

εἵσατό μιν Πολυαρχίς, ...

--Nossis, Greek Anthology 9.332.1-3; Translated into Latin by Hugo Grotius  (1872)

 

 

 Nossis was considered among the famous nine women poets of ancient Greek literature. She lived in Locris (southern Italy) during the 3^rd century. Several of her poems are preserved in the Greek Anthology; like that of her literary predecessor Sappho, Nossis’ poetry provides great insight into the lives of women in the ancient world.

  

M/M: In Honor of Their Love & Service: Harmodius & Aristogeiton, Val. Max. 2.10.ext.1

Name: Valerius Maximus Date:  1st century CE Region:  Unknown Citation:  Memorable Deeds and Sayings   2.10.ext.1

When Xerxes captured Athens, he removed the bronze statues of Harmodius and Aristogeiton (who tried to liberate the city from a tyrant) and brought them back to his kingdom. After a long time had passed, Seleucus returned them to their original location. On the statues’ way back to Athens, the townspeople of Rhodes invited them to be public guests, and displayed them on their sacred couches*. There is nothing more blessed than this memory: that such reverence was held for such a meager amount of bronze.


*During festivals, cult statues would be removed from temples and put on display in special litter-like "couches" and paraded throughout the city.

Harmodii et Aristogitonis, qui Athenas tyrannide liberare conati sunt, effigies aeneas Xerxes ea urbe devicta in regnum suum transtulit. Longo deinde interiecto tempore Seleucus in pristinam sedem reportandas curavit. Rhodii quoque eas urbi suae appulsas, cum in hospitium publice invitassent, sacris etiam in pulvinaribus collocaverunt. Nihil hac memoria felicius, quae tantum venerationis in tam parvulo aere possidet.

Valerius Maximus [1st century CE] Little is known about the life of Valerius Maximus except that he wrote during the reign of the emperor Tiberius. His work, Memorable Deeds and Sayings, is a collection of examples from Roman and world history categorized by theme for the purpose of rhetorical exercises.

The Courage of Leaena: Pliny, Nat. Hist. 34.19.12

Name: Pliny the Elder Date: 23 – 79 CE Region:  Como [modern Italy]; Rome [modern Italy] Citation:  Natural History, 34.19.12

Many people praise Tisicrates' statue of Leaena. She was a courtesan and entertainer specializing in singing and the lyre who was close with Harmodius and Aristogeiton; she kept secret their plot to kill the tyrant, not betraying their plans even when tortured to the point of  death.  Because of her courage, the Athenians wanted to honor her. Not willing to celebrating her profession, they made a statue of an animal with her same name, i.e., a lioness. To further honor her courage, they made the artist make the statue lacking a tongue.*

* According to tradition, Leaena bit off her own tongue to thwart her interrogators.

Tisicratis Leaena laudatur. [Paelex] haec lyrae cantu familiare Harmodio et Aristogitoni, consilia eorum de tyrannicidio, usque ad mortem excrutiata a tyraniis, non prodidit. Quamobrem Athenienses et honorem habere ei volentes, nec tamen [paelicem] celebrasse, animal nominis eius fecere: atque ut intelligeretur causa honoris, in opere linguam addi ab artifice vetuereunt. 

Pliny the Elder [Gaius Plinius Secundus; 23 – 79 CE, modern Italy] was an Italian-born Roman statesman and author who lived during the reigns of the early Roman emperors. He spent most of his life in service of his country; he ultimately gave his life in arranging the evacuation of the regions devastated by the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius in 79 CE. His work, the Natural History, is a 37-volume collection of art, history, and science of the ancient world.