A woman sits with a perplexed expression. Her eyes and an open mouth feel as if she wants to communicate her fear. With her left hand, she holds the end of her long hair, while on the right, she holds a pair of scissors. Her revealing bosom and her red skirt do signify her passionate personality. Behind her rests a war helmet with plumage, signifying the presence of a man behind her expression.
According to history, the woman portrayed is Queen Berenice II of Egypt, who was so in love with her husband King Ptolemy III that she offered her strands of hair to the goddess Aphrodite in return for his safe return from the battle. The lock of hair is said to vanish as soon as it is offered, thus giving rise to the constellation Coma Berenices. It is said to be a perfect allegory to marital devotion, a wife who awaits her husband’s return by sacrificing a piece of her beauty.
The painting is attributed to Bernardo Strozzi of Italy. His technique of using chiaroscuro to highlight the figure over a dark background provides a dramatic effect to the painting. The work is painted in a Baroque style with a rich colour palette.
This painting illustrates the ancient legend behind the constellation Coma Berenices. According to the story, Queen Berenice II of Egypt prayed for the safe return of her husband, King Ptolemy III, from battle and vowed to sacrifice her beautiful hair to the goddess Aphrodite. After her husband returned safely, she fulfilled her promise by cutting off her hair and offering it at the temple. When the hair mysteriously disappeared, it was believed to have been placed in the heavens by the gods, giving rise to the constellation Coma Berenices. Through this composition, Strozzi transforms the legend into a powerful visual representation of love, sacrifice, and marital devotion.
