Cleopatra’s Suicide
after 1659, Artist: Guido Cagnacci
Cleopatra’s Suicide
The last queen of Egypt, Cleopatra, let herself be bitten by a venomous snake to avoid the disgrace of being led through Rome in the emperor Augustus’ triumphal procession. At the end of his life, Cagnacci was court painter in Vienna. Two opposing painting concepts are combined in this picture, the sharply observing realism of the expressive servants, and the classic posture of the calm and collected seated queen.
Object data
Object Name
Painting
Culture
Italian, Emilian
Dated
after 1659
Artist
Guido Cagnacci (1601 San Arcangelo di Romagna - 1663 Wien) - GND
Material
Canvas
Dimensions
Overall: 153 cm × 169 cm
Framed: 168 cm × 188 cm × 12 cm
Signed
Inscribed at the bottom right of the armrest support: GVIDO CAGNAZZI
Image rights
Kunsthistorisches Museum Wien, Gemäldegalerie
Inv. No.
Gemäldegalerie, 260
Provenance
Coll. Leopold Wilhelm
Depiction/Person
Kleopatra VII. (69-30 v. Chr.) - GND
Permalink (citable Link) to this page: www.khm.at/en/object/383/
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