Dirce wordt vastgebonden aan een stier 1581

Diana Mantuana created this engraving, “Dirce wordt vastgebonden aan een stier”, sometime between 1560 and 1612. Mantuana was working in a cultural moment in which women artists were gaining recognition within printmaking circles, and printmaking allowed for wider distribution of her work. Here, Mantuana depicts a scene from classical mythology illustrating themes of vengeance and divine punishment. Dirce, the wife of King Lycus of Thebes, is portrayed being tied to a bull by Amphion and Zethus as punishment for her cruelty towards their mother, Antiope. The graphic nature of the scene—Dirce's contorted body and the looming bull— evokes a strong emotional response. The muscularity of the male figures compared to Dirce’s vulnerability raises questions about gendered power dynamics, control, and retribution. The scene’s theatricality invites viewers to contemplate the complex interplay between justice, gender, and violence in both mythological narratives and society.