One of the many celebrated paintings by Swiss painter Angelica Kauffman (1741-1807) is titled “Cornelia, Mother of the Gracchi”. Conveying the message of the importance of family above all else, the painting depicts a Roman woman and her three children. The woman, Cornelia, is portrayed as having a conversation with another Roman woman who is sitting with a box of jewelry on her lap. This woman holds up a necklace and looks at Cornelia, as if asking for her opinion. Seemingly giving her an answer, Cornelia points to her young sons on her right, indicating that they are as valuable, if not more, than her  jewels. Meanwhile, Cornelia's young daughter, Sempronia, does not appear to have mastered this lesson yet as she is clearly drawn to the bright items in the woman's lap. This painting is based on a story written by Valerius Maximus, a first-century Roman writer who compiled a collection of anecdotes in Dictorum Factorumque Memorabilium Libri IX (“Book of nine memorable deeds and sayings”). The book provides an incident from Cornelia's life where she entertained a patrician woman who flaunted her expensive jewelry. In response, Cornelia pointed to her children and said, “here are my treasures”. Read moreSection: NewsGeneralAncient PlacesEuropeGuest AuthorsHistoryAncient TraditionsFamous PeoplePremiumPreviewRead Later