Death of Cleopatra, oil on canvas, Italy, 17th-18th centuries.
8000,00 zł
The painting depicts Cleopatra at the moment of her suicide, shown in half pose, wearing a red, unbuttoned dress with her breasts exposed and a serpent held to her chest – the only attribute that allows clear identification of the scene. The woman, with her alabaster complexion, raised head and upward gaze, is framed against a neutral, dark brown background, in keeping with the tradition of the Bolognese school. The soft chiaroscuro, idealized type of beauty and calm expression point to the influence of painting derived from the circle of Guido Reni and his continuators. The final fragment of the signature “…epolo” or “…epelo” is visible in the lower left corner, indicating the artist’s Italian origin. An analysis of the style and the way the figure is depicted allows dating the work to the 17th-18th century, with a probable place of creation in Emilia-Romagna (Italy). The painting is framed in a Baroque frame carved in wood and painted gold.
1 in stock
Historical context
After the final defeat against the Romans, Mark Antony, mistakenly thinking Cleopatra was already dead, decided to take his own life and pierced himself with a sword. Despite his severe wound, he was still alive and, according to Plutarch, was carried to the queen's mausoleum, where he died in her presence after a brief farewell. Faced with his death and her own impending humiliation, Cleopatra also chose suicide, allowing herself to be bitten by a venomous snake in order to preserve her royal dignity and control over her fate.
Artistic qualities
The painting represents the tradition of the Bologna (Emilia-Romagna) school, one of the most important centers of Italian painting of the 17th and 18th centuries, originating in the circle of Guido Reni and continued by artists such as Cesare and Benedetto Gennari, Elisabetta Sirani, Donato Creti and Domenico Maria Canuti. Characteristic of this milieu are the idealized, pale complexion of the models, softly guided chiaroscuro, calm expressions and elegant half-figure shots - elements also clearly present in the depiction of Cleopatra's death. This motif, based on Reni's widespread compositional pattern, was often taken up by Bolognese disciples and imitators in the 18th century. A set of formal features, such as a neutral background, subtle modeling and iconography devoid of royal insignia, allows us to associate the painting with Emilia/Bologna and date it to the period around 1700-1760, in the circle of late continuators of Reni's aesthetic.
Collector's value
On the Polish art market, depictions of Cleopatra inspired by the Bolognese school appear extremely rarely. Compositions maintained in this tradition, with the characteristic motif of a snake at the breast, are among the hardly available examples of Baroque painting in Poland. Limited supply and a recognizable, iconographically attractive subject make paintings of this type of high collector value and sought after by lovers of early art.
Application
The painting with such a distinctive baroque style will be perfect for classic, elegant interiors. Thanks to its atmospheric color palette and clear, character-centered composition, it can be a striking decorative accent in representative spaces, such as a living room, study or library. Its aesthetics also make it blend well with eclectic arrangements and interiors combining modern and classical elements. It will ideally complement a collection of ancient art, especially those related to Italian painting and ancient iconography.
The way the snake is depicted
Here, the snake's head looks more like that of a small rodent, with clearly marked "ears," which illustrates well the freedom in depicting animals characteristic of the Renaissance and Baroque. Artists often relied on depictions or descriptions without direct contact with their actual appearance, so similar simplifications and anatomical inaccuracies appeared in the iconography of that period.
| Weight | 2,15 kg |
|---|---|
| Dimensions | 25 × 30 cm |
| Type |
Image |
| Form |
Portrait of a woman |
| Kolorystyka |
Brown ,Flesh ,Gold ,Red |
| Technika |
Oil on canvas |
| Czas powstania |
17th-18th centuries. |
| Era |
Baroque |
| Kraj pochodzenia |
Italy |
| State of preservation |
Very good, after maintenance |
Related products
Battle of Mohacz, oil on canvas, Krakow, 1886
Dutch School, Ships in a Storm, oil on canvas, Netherlands (?), 2nd half of the 18th century.
Govert Camphuysen (1623/1624-1672) – attributed, Landscape with cattle grazing in front of a hut, oil on board
In front of the village thatched hut, sheep, a cow and a goat are grazing. Next to it, a villager is sleeping under a tree. To the left of the composition, a second scene is visible: a man leading a bull over a small bridge over a stream. In the background is a landscape with trees and gentle hills, and the sky occupies a large part of the painting, building the mood of the whole scene. What draws attention is the exquisite way in which the animals are depicted. This was a specialty of Camphuysen, whose work was inspired by the style of Paulus Potter. Warm, earthy colors dominate - browns, ochres, dim greens and broken yellows. The light is soft, diffused, as if in the early morning or towards evening. The sky has shades of gray, beige and soft pink, suggesting changing weather or impending dusk. The contrast between the bright sky on the left and the darker, more saturated part with the cottage on the right gives the image depth and balance.
Hendrik van Steenwijk II (ca. 1580 – 1649) – circle, Interior of a Gothic church, oil on board, Flemish school, 17th century.
The painting depicts the interior of a Gothic church, executed in the Flemish school of the 17th century, in the circle of Hendrick van Steenwijk i.e. one of the pioneers of perspective painting. The composition, built on an axis leading towards the main altar, shows a monumental interior with pillars, cross-ribbed vaults and side chapels. Figures of the faithful and clergy are visible in the space, introduced to emphasize the scale of the architecture and the mood of concentration.
The painting was made with oil technique on board, in typical Flemish school style. The frame is original, wooden, veneered, with preserved gilt edge.
The composition refers to the solutions used by Hendrick van Steenwijk the Elder and Younger, as well as Pieter Neefs and Bartholomeus van Bassen, developing the genre of architectural painting in Antwerp and Delft.
John Baptist Lambrechts (1680 – after 1731), Genre scene in an inn, oil on board, ca. mid-18th century.
Stanislaw Debicki (1866 – 1924), Portrait of a hunter with a shotgun, watercolor on paper
Stanislaw Gibinski (1882-1971), Winter scene “On the way to church”, watercolor and gouache on cardboard, Poland, ca. 1930-1940
Symeon Shimin (1902–1984), Gum Chum / This Mortal Coil, oil / mixed media on canvas, United States, circa 1945-1955
The presented canvas is a museum-quality easel painting by the esteemed American painter and muralist of Jewish-Russian descent, Symeon Shimin. The painting is an outstanding example of post-war socially engaged expressionism, combining features of narrative painting with poster-like persuasion. Signed lower right: S. Shimin (artist's signature, authenticated)
The work is characterized by an extremely condensed, claustrophobic composition with a powerful emotional charge. The foreground is dominated by the expressively deformed figure of an elderly man captured in a theatrical, accusatory gesture – his hand points directly at the viewer. This technique, intensifying the cinematic drama, directly refers to Shimin's rich experience in creating iconic political and film posters for Hollywood (the artist was, among others, the author of the original poster for the 1939 film "Gone with the Wind"). In the background, in a dark shadow, the melancholic face of a second sage emerges. The entire piece is rendered in a stark, earthy, monochromatic palette dominated by deep browns, blacks, and muted blue garments, with a masterful use of chiaroscuro.
Dimensions: 82.5 x 59.5 cm (with frame 85 x 62 cm)