Mythological subject, possibly Sophonisba or Artemisia

Two tragic heroines present themselves as possible subjects of the present drawing. Sophonisba (or Sophoniba), was the daughter of Hasdrubal, a Carthaginian general. In order to cement an alliance she was married to Syphax (King of the Western Numidians or the Masaeisylians). However Massinissa, son of the Massylians or Eastern Numidians, believed himself betrothed to Sophonisba before she was given to Syphax. While Syphax stayed in the Carthaginian camp, Massinissa went over to the Romans and Scipio. Hasdrubal and Syphax were defeated and Massinissa pursued Syphax to Cirta, his capital, and took Syphax and Sophinisba as prisoners. He married the Queen against Scipio's wishes, and when Scipio insisted she must be taken to Rome for the triumph, Massinissa swore his love to her, but told her that he could not free her from captivity or shield her from Roman wrath, and so he asked her to die like a true Carthaginian princess. With great composure, she drank a cup of poison that he offered her.

The iconography of this subject is very similar to that of Artemisia, wife of Mausolus, who built a great monument to her husband at Halicarnassus (the first mausoleum). She was reputed to have drunk a cup of liquid containing his ashes, thus transforming herself into a living memorial.