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The Assassination of the Emperor Vitellius

Boucicaut Masterabout 1413–1415

The J. Paul Getty Museum

The J. Paul Getty Museum
Los Angeles, United States

On the banks of the Tiber, three assailants stab the Roman emperor Vitellius, a major protagonist in the struggle for succession after Nero's death. He had been declared emperor by his troops but was defeated by Vespasian, whose own army had declared him emperor. Humiliated and ridiculed for his cowardliness and gluttony, Vitellius lost his kingdom to Vespasian, who exemplified the virtues of the ancient Romans: chastity, sobriety, courage, and wisdom. Vitellius was eventually stabbed almost to the point of death, dragged in great pain "like a stinking dog," and tossed into the river Tiber.

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  • Title: The Assassination of the Emperor Vitellius
  • Creator: Boucicaut Master
  • Date Created: about 1413–1415
  • Location Created: Paris, France
  • Physical Dimensions: Leaf: 42 × 29.6 cm (16 9/16 × 11 5/8 in.)
  • Type: Folio
  • External Link: Find out more about this object on the Museum website.
  • Medium: Tempera colors, gold leaf, gold paint, and ink on parchment
  • Terms of Use: Open Content
  • Number: 96.MR.17.231v
  • Culture: French
  • Credit Line: The J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles, Ms. 63, fol. 231v
  • Creator Display Name: Boucicaut Master or workshop (French, active about 1390 - 1430)
  • Classification: Manuscripts (Documents)
The J. Paul Getty Museum

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