Artwork
Death of Cleopatra, after a painting by Guido Reni
Death of Cleopatra, after a painting by Guido Reni is an unspecified painting by the Neoclassicist artist Unknown. It dates from 1777 and is held in the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst. Created in 1777 by the artist catalogued as 23047_person, this image reproduces Guido Reni’s composition of Cleopatra’s death.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1777 by the artist catalogued as 23047_person, this image reproduces Guido Reni’s composition of Cleopatra’s death. The work is part of the collection of the Museum of Ethnography, where it is displayed as a representative example of late‑18th‑century reinterpretations of classical subjects.
Subject & Meaning
The central figure is a reclining woman, identified as Cleopatra, whose posture suggests the moment after her suicide. She lies on a couch, her right arm dangling over the edge, while a cloth partially covers her form. A small child or cherubic figure appears at her left, adding a subtle narrative contrast between mortality and innocence.
Technique & Style
Rendered in a Romantic idiom, the image employs soft, flowing lines and gentle curves that soften the drama of the scene. Chiaroscuro modeling creates a three‑dimensional presence, with light falling on the figure’s face and drapery while deeper shadows recede into the background curtain, guiding the eye toward the central tableau.
History & Provenance
The piece is a later copy after Guido Reni’s original composition, executed in the late 18th century. Since its creation, it has remained within institutional holdings, ultimately entering the Museum of Ethnography’s collection, where it contributes to the museum’s broader narrative of cross‑cultural artistic exchange.
Artist & collection
Domestic Scene
Giacomo and Cardinal Marco, investing Andrea, Abbot of San Zeno, with his Benefice
The Nymph of Fontainebleau
Portrait of a Woman
Madonna and Child with Saints in the Enclosed Garden
Venus and Minerva
Family Group of Four on Sofa
Wall painting from Room H of the Villa of P. Fannius Synistor at Boscoreale
