Virginius Killing His Daughter 1546 - 1547

Georg Pencz created this engraving, Virginius Killing His Daughter, sometime in the first half of the 16th century. Pencz was a German artist who was notably a follower of Albrecht Dürer. Here, Pencz depicts a Roman tale of Virginius, a father who kills his own daughter to save her from being sexually exploited by a corrupt magistrate. The story highlights the limited agency women possessed, their bodies becoming symbolic battlegrounds in patriarchal societies. We see a collision of power, morality, and gender, which invites us to consider whose values are being upheld and at what cost. The emotional intensity is palpable, the daughter’s vulnerability emphasized. It’s not just a historical scene but a reflection on the ways in which female bodies are subjected to male control, both legally and physically. This engraving transforms a personal tragedy into a public critique, challenging viewers to confront uncomfortable truths about the structures of power that dictate individual lives.