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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.

Location: Kunsthistorisches Museum Wien, Saal VI

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

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