According to legend as documented by Livy in his History of Rome, she was acclaimed as a highly virtuous woman by her husband Collatinus.

She was raped by the Roman nobleman Sextus Tarquinius, a relative of her husband, who threatened her with murder and the public humiliation of her corpse if she resisted.

Given the risk of defamation she gave in to his sexual demands, but afterwards reported the attack to her husband and father before taking her own life.

[5] Two of the paintings - Tarquin and Lucretia and Bathsheba - were acquired for Frederick the Great for his Neues Palais in Potsdam in the 1750s.

[6] Judith was not shipped along with the others as it depicted a woman triumphing over a man, which did not fit the theme of the planned Obere Galerie in Potsdam.