The Death of Cleopatra
Name
The Death of Cleopatra
Description
After Mark Antony was defeated by Augustus in the Battle of Actium, Cleopatra decided to take her own life rather than be captured by Augustus. She did this by applying an asp to her arm. The painting depicts a magnificent hall with rococo decorations. In the hall, Cleopatra is seen dying on her throne, attended by a physician. Augustus, accompanied by a group of soldiers, is approaching the dying queen.
Types
Artist
Collection
Copyright
Public Domain
Cover
Inventory number
WM 1493–1948
Location
Medium
Movement
Provenance
Bought together with "Antony and Cleopatra at the Battle of Actium" by the 1st Duke of Wellington in Paris in 1817, for 3000 frs. from the Chevalier Gaspard Thierry. According to Thierry these two paintings "were given as a reward for distinguished services by the King of Bavaria to a Prince Hohenzollern (...)" Letter of Jan 17, 1817, Wellington archive.
Size of the artwork
H 52 x W 80 cm
Statement
Cleopatra’s death is traditionally depicted either by a single figure or with the queen and a small group of attendants. The huge throng of figures in this painting appears to be Platzer’s own variation on the theme. Johann Georg Platzer was a prolific painter of classical subjects on copper. He was known for his fluid blending of colors and detailed drapery, which were well-suited to the medium of copper. Platzer often used thick and uneven sheets of copper, and in the case of this painting, the copper was first beaten, then rolled. Platzer's subject matter and technique were influenced by Flemish artists such as Frans Francken II, whose work was popular in Vienna, where Platzer lived and worked.
Year
Around 1750