Lucretia

This ivory statuette was probably made in Germany, in about 1650-80 by an unknown artist. The statuette represents Lucretia stabbing herself in the chest with a daggar.

Lucretia Romana was a Roman heroine and had a tragic death in 510 BC, which had far reaching consequences for the Roman Empire. She was raped by Sextus, son of the tyrant Tarquin the Proud, and subsequently took her life. This led to a rebellion by Brutus, nephew of Tarquin, in which Tarquin and his family were forced into excile.

An ivory figure of St John in the collections at Anglesey Abbey, Cambridgeshire (National Trust) is comparable.