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Portrait of a Woman as a Vestal Virgin

Image credit: National Trust Images

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Notes

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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

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Normally on display at

National Trust, A la Ronde

Summer Lane, Exmouth, Devon EX8 5BD England

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