Sophonisba Drinking the Poison

mythological

Sophonisba was the daughter of a Carthaginian general at the time of the second Punic war. She married a prince of neighbouring Numidia, allied to Rome, and succeeded in alienating him from his Roman masters. But he was captured by another Numidian leader Masinissa, who in turn fell in love with Sophonisba, and likewise married her.

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About the Artist

Giovanni Francesco Caroto

1480 – 1555

Caroto (also Carotis) was a pupil of Liberale to whom he remained true in his early work. In Mantua, he came into personal contact with Mantegna, which lead to a modification of his style. He also adopted ideas from Titian and Raphael. Berenson describes him as an eclecticist. His great pupil, Veronese, seems to have benefited from this.

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