Portrait of a Woman as a Vestal Virgin

Image credit: National Trust Images

How you can use this image

This image can be used for non-commercial research or private study purposes, and other UK exceptions to copyright permitted to users based in the United Kingdom under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised. Any other type of use will need to be cleared with the rights holder(s).

Review the copyright credit lines that are located underneath the image, as these indicate who manages the copyright (©) within the artwork, and the photographic rights within the image.

The collection that owns the artwork may have more information on their own website about permitted uses and image licensing options.

Review our guidance pages which explain how you can reuse images, how to credit an image and how to find images in the public domain or with a Creative Commons licence available.

Notes

Add or edit a note on this artwork that only you can see. You can find notes again by going to the ‘Notes’ section of your account.

A vestal virgin, wearing pure white robes and veil, is seen pouring oil from a gold jug into an urn.

A vestal virgin was a Roman priestess of the temple of Vesta, the goddess of the hearth and home. Priestesses maintained the sacred fire, which needed to be kept burning perpetually. They collected clean water, prepared food used in rituals and cared for objects in the temple's sanctuary. Sworn to chastity, the punishment for breaking this vow was being buried alive. They had certain privileges, like being able to own their own property, make wills and vote (when other women could not) and were entrusted with legal matters.

This is an appropriate painting to be found in the collection at A La Ronde. The will of Mary Parminter (one of the women the house was built for) stipulates that only unmarried kinswomen should inherit the property.

National Trust, A la Ronde

Exmouth

Title

Portrait of a Woman as a Vestal Virgin

Date

early 19th C

Medium

oil on panel

Measurements

H 41.5 x W 35 cm

Accession number

1313475

Acquisition method

purchased from Ursula Tudor Perkins with the assistance of the National Heritage Memorial Fund, 1991

Work type

Painting

Tags

This artwork does not have any tags yet. You can help by tagging artworks on Tagger.

Normally on display at

National Trust, A la Ronde

Summer Lane, Exmouth, Devon EX8 5BD England

This venue is open to the public. Not all artworks are on display. If you want to see a particular artwork, please contact the venue.
View venue