The Funeral of Lucretia

In the pictureOn the left of a wide picture, a woman covered in a white shroud lies on a bier draped with gold-patterned cloth, and her name is written on the side of the bier. Around her stand women with elaborate headdresses and bearded old men, and the robe of an old man wearing a gold crown bears the letters "BRVTO." In front, a woman in brown sits with her back turned. Inside a pinkish temple on the right, men in gold armor and red breeches gesture and talk between gray marble columns. A bearded face is carved inside a roundel at the center of the temple's pediment.

BackgroundThe Roman noblewoman Lucretia took her own life after being raped by the prince Sextus Tarquinius, and tradition holds that Brutus used her death to drive out the king, founding the Roman Republic. The temple scene on the right is presumed to be the moment that leads to that political resolve. This panel is thought to have formed the front of a bride's wedding chest (cassone) together with The Rape of Lucretia by the same painter. According to the museum's record it dates from about 1475–80 and measures 39.7×69.9cm. "Master of Marradi" is the name art historians gave to an anonymous Florentine painter who left several such chest paintings.

Puzzle tipThe white shroud and gold cloth of the bier on the left and the four white marble columns of the temple on the right are the references that divide the picture left and right. Stand the column pieces upright, set the temple's pink pediment and round window on top, then fill the funeral group on the left by grouping clothing colors and gold headdresses. The white buildings and tower behind and the brown floor come last. The relief-decorated pilaster at the far right edge is a vertical band, so use it first as border pieces. 100 pieces is about right.