Italian school; 19th century."Lucretia surprised by Tarquinio".Oil on canvas.Presents frame of the 19th century.Measurements: 27 x 23 cm.Almost sleepy, suggestive and sensual, the image of Lucretia is presented in a monumental way in front of the spectator. The delicacy of her golden hair, which harmonises with the cloth with which she is covered, the snowy skin and her rosy cheeks capture all the light of the image, thus making the figure of Tarquinio go unnoticed, both because of his compositional position in the background, and because of the half-light that envelops him, so that the dagger with which he is about to threaten Lucretia is barely visible. The presence of Lucretia's death, or the moment when Tarquinio is about to wound her, was highly reproduced in the painting. This proliferation of images related to this story from classical antiquity was probably related to the fact that the revenge of the Lucretians was the origin of the fall of the Monarchy in Rome and the establishment of the Republic. The theme could therefore be used as a metaphor and a criticism of the ruling class of the time.The legend of Lucretia narrates that one day several men were drinking in the tent of Sextus Tarquinius, a dinner in which Tarquinius Colatinus took part, and their conversation turned to the virtue of their wives. Colatine, who claimed that his wife Lucretia was above the others, in search of the truth, the men visited several of the women until they reached Colatia, and there they found Lucretia, working the wool well into the night, and she was chosen as the winner for her display of virtue. The winning husband invited the young princes, at which point Sextus Tarquinius began to feel the desire to possess Lucrezia by force. After a few days, Sextus Tarquinius returned to Colatia with only one companion. Unaware of his intentions, they received him attentively; after supper he was led into the guest chamber, and taking advantage of the quiet of the house, for all were asleep, he drew his sword, approached Lucretia, possessed her, and departed, proud of having taken a woman's honour.