The Head of Cyrus brought to Queen Tomyris

Art Historical Context

In the dramatic etching *The Head of Cyrus brought to Queen Tomyris*, created between 1785 and 1789, Antoine Jean Duclos faithfully reproduces a composition by the Baroque master Peter Paul Rubens. This proof impression captures a pivotal moment from ancient history: the triumphant Queen Tomyris of the Massagetae receiving the severed head of Persian king Cyrus the Great, held aloft by soldiers. The scene pulses with Rubens' signature energy—swirling figures, expressive faces, and a sense of raw vengeance—rendered in intricate lines on a modest 5 3/8 × 8 1/4-inch plate. The subject draws from Herodotus' *Histories*, recounting Cyrus' ill-fated invasion of the nomadic Massagetae around 530 BCE. After her son was slain, Tomyris defeated the conqueror and, in a legendary act of retribution, dipped his head in blood, declaring, "I have quenched your thirst for blood." Rubens, a 17th-century Flemish artist renowned for his mythological and historical epics, elevated such tales into grand theater, blending classical antiquity with visceral emotion. As an etching proof from the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Elisha Whittelsey Collection, this print highlights 18th-century reproductive techniques, where acid etched Duclos' meticulous lines into a copper plate for multiple impressions. Such works democratized access to Rubens' masterpieces, bridging Baroque drama with Enlightenment fascination for ancient lore, and remain prized for their technical finesse and narrative power.

About the Artist

Peter Paul Rubens|Antoine Jean Duclos · 1577–1640

Peter Paul Rubens (1577-1640) stands as the most influential artist of the Flemish Baroque tradition and the greatest exponent of Baroque painting's dynamism, vitality, and sensuous exuberance. Born in Siegen, Westphalia, and raised in Antwerp, Rubens received a humanist education studying Latin and classical literature before pursuing artistic training under three masters: Tobias Verhaecht, Adam ...