The suicide of Cleopatra: Cleopatra holding the asp in her left hand. Stipple engraving by Sherwin after G.B. Cipriani.

  • Cipriani, Giovanni Battista, 1727-1785.
Date:
1700-1799
Reference:
42940i
  • Pictures
  • Online

Available online

view The suicide of Cleopatra: Cleopatra holding the asp in her left hand. Stipple engraving by Sherwin after G.B. Cipriani.

Public Domain Mark

You can use this work for any purpose without restriction under copyright law. Read more about this licence.

Credit

The suicide of Cleopatra: Cleopatra holding the asp in her left hand. Stipple engraving by Sherwin after G.B. Cipriani. Wellcome Collection. Public Domain Mark. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Selected images from this work

View 1 image

About this work

Description

Cleopatra VII (69 BC-30 BC), Egyptian Queen, lover of Julius Caesar and later the wife of Mark Antony. After the Roman armies of Octavian (the future Emperor Augustus) defeated their combined forces, Antony and Cleopatra killed themselves, and Egypt fell under Roman domination. Rather than be dragged through the city in which she had been borne as a queen, she killed herself, possibly by means of an asp, symbol of divine royalty.

Publication/Creation

1700-1799

Physical description

1 print : stipple engraving ; image 17.4 x 13.6 cm

Lettering

Cipriani delt. Sherwin sculp.

Reference

Wellcome Collection 42940i

Creator/production credits

By Charles Sherwin or J.K. Sherwin?

Type/Technique

Languages

Where to find it

  • LocationStatusAccess
    Closed stores

Permanent link