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The Death of Cleopatra

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The Death of Cleopatra

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The Death of Cleopatra
Spanish: La muerte de Cleopatra

Artist	Juan Luna
Year	1881
Medium	Oil on canvas
Dimensions	250 cm × 340 cm (98.4 in × 132 in)
Location	Museo del Prado, Madrid

The Death of Cleopatra (Spanish: La muerte de Cleopatra), also known simply as Cleopatra, is an 1881 oil painting on canvas by the Filipino painter Juan Luna, currently on display at the Museo del Prado in Madrid, Spain. Depicting the death of Cleopatra, the last active ruler of Ancient Egypt, the painting was painted during Luna's stay in Rome, and later won a silver medal during the 1881 National Exposition of Fine Arts in Madrid, which was also his first art exposition.

The painting, one of only three pieces by Filipino artists on permanent display at the Prado, is notable both for its composition and its history. Painted during a time of increased national consciousness, The Death of Cleopatra not only served as a representation of a colonized people standing up against their colonizer, but also brought to attention the ability of Filipino artists, and particularly Luna himself, to surpass their European contemporaries.

Description

The Death of Cleopatra depicts Cleopatra moments after her death, with Luna taking inspiration for the painting's composition from Plutarch's account of her life in his Parallel Lives series. Her corpse is found at the center of the painting, lying on a bed adorned with a golden headboard and covered with rich bedsheets, with the sheets themselves decorated with hieroglyphs and the footboard similarly adorned in gold. Cleopatra herself is bejeweled and dressed in a manner befitting that of an Egyptian queen, and smoke coming from a nearby lamp, said to contain incense, hovering above her body signifies that she had died, giving the piece a mysterious aura. While Cleopatra is clothed, the cloth above her belt and around her breasts is transparent, playing into the popular concept of an "eroticized" Cleopatra that is common in other works of the era depicting her death.

Two servants in various states of collapse are also present in the painting, with the first, Iras, already dead by Cleopatra's feet. The second, the dark-skinned Charmion, is seen falling after she adjusts Cleopatra's diadem, dying shortly thereafter. Meanwhile, the asp that reportedly caused Cleopatra's death is seen by the foot of one of the room's columns, barely visible as it slithers away.

The setting for The Death of Cleopatra is funerary in nature, indicated by the various decorations in the room such as the sphinx by the footboard, canopic jars by the headboard, the lamp and even the columns decorated with hieroglyphs. A statue of Anubis is also present in the background, foreshadowing what was to come.

History

Luna first began work on The Death of Cleopatra in his then-studio on Via Margutta in Rome, where he had lived since moving to the city in 1878 with his master, Alejo Vera. A study (boceto) for what would become the final painting was created in 1880, modeled on an 1874 painting of the death of Cleopatra by the French painter Jean-André Rixens. Unlike the final piece, the boceto was sold for ₱9.3 million at an auction by Salcedo Auctions in March 2019.

Because of the exposure, Luna received a pension scholarship at the Ayuntamiento de Manila. After the painting competition, Luna sold it for 5,000 Spanish pesetas, the highest price for a painting at the time. As Luna's "graduation work", The Death of Cleopatra was acquired by the Spanish government for one thousand duros.

Bibliography

Rodríguez González, Lucía (2019). Iter romanum textis et pictis: un recorrido por la historia de Roma en los textos antiguos y en las obras del Museo del Prado [Iter romanum textis et pictis (The Woven and Painted Roman Journey): a journey through the history of Rome in old texts and in the pieces of the Museo del Prado] (PDF) (in Spanish). Complutense University of Madrid. Retrieved March 9, 2022.
Sánchez Gómez, Luis Ángel (2002). "Indigenous art at the Philippine Exposition of 1887: Arguments for an ideological and racial battle in a colonial context" (PDF). Journal of the History of Collections. University of Oxford. 14 (2): 283-294. doi:10.1093/jhc/14.2.283. ISSN 0954-6650. Retrieved March 26, 2010.
Valtierra Lacalle, Ana (2020). "Mitografía y manipulación iconográfica de la muerte de Cleopatra en la pintura occidental" [Mythography and Iconographic Manipulation of the Death of Cleopatra in the Western Painting]. Asparkía. Investigació Feminista (in Spanish). Jaume I University. 37 (37): 27-49. doi:10.6035/asparkia.2020.37.2. eISSN 2340-4795. ISSN 1132-8231. S2CID 230559826. Retrieved March 9, 2022.

External links

Image of The Death of Cleopatra by Juan Luna at superstock.com
Image of The Death of Cleopatra by Juan Luna at isidore-of-seville.com
The Death of Cleopatra on the official website of the Museo del Prado
Other paintings by Luna at flickr.com

v t e Juan Luna
Works	Spoliarium El Pacto de Sangre La Muerte de Cleopatra La Batalla de Lepanto La Bulaqueña The Parisian Life La Madrileña (En el Balcón) Mi Novia Tampuhan Peuple et Rois Ecce Homo Las Damas Romanas Ensueños de Amor Daphne and Chloe Hymen o Hymenee Odalisque
Series	Chula series España y Filipinas Peuple et Rois (Sketches)
Related	Paz Pardo de Tavera (wife) Andrés Luna de San Pedro (son) Antonio Luna (brother) Joaquin Luna (brother)

Museo del Prado

Buildings
Villanueva building Casón del Buen Retiro Hall of Realms Cloister of Saint Jerome

Paintings

Spanish	Esquivel: José de Espronceda Gisbert: Execution of Torrijos and his Companions on the Beach at Málaga Goya: Allegory of Industry – Asmodea – Atropos – Blind Man's Bluff – Boys playing soldiers – Charles IV of Spain and His Family – Los caprichos – Christ Crucified – The Clothed Maja – The Colossus – The Countess of Chinchon – The Dog – Los disparates – The Duchess of Alba and la Beata – Fight with Cudgels – Judith and Holofernes – La Leocadia – Man Mocked by Two Women – Portrait of the Marchioness of Santa Cruz – Men Reading – The Milkmaid of Bordeaux – The Naked Maja – The Parasol – A Pilgrimage to San Isidro – Pilgrimage to the Fountain of San Isidro – Saturn Devouring His Son – The Second of May 1808 – Summer – The Third of May 1808 – Two Old Men – Two Old Ones Eating Soup – Witches' Flight – Witches' Sabbath (The Great He-Goat) El Greco: The Nobleman with his Hand on his Chest – The Adoration of the Shepherds – Doña María de Aragón Altarpiece – Annunciation – Christ Carrying the Cross – The Fable – The Flight into Egypt – Holy Face of Jesus – Holy Trinity – Julián Romero and Saint Julian – Portrait of a Doctor – Portrait of a Gentleman – Portrait of a Young Nobleman – Portrait of an Elderly Man – Portrait of an Unknown Gentleman – Portrait of Jerónimo de Cevallos – Portrait of Rodrigo Vázquez de Arce – Saint Andrew and Saint Francis – Saint Anthony of Padua – Saint Bernardino of Siena ^[1] – Saint James the Great – Saint John the Evangelist – Saint Paul – Saint Sebastian – Saint Thomas the Apostle – Holy Trinity – The Saviour – Virgin Mary Luna: The Death of Cleopatra Maíno: Adoration of the Magi – Portrait of a Gentleman – The Recovery of Bahía de Todos los Santos Murillo: Adoration of the Shepherds (1650) – Aranjuez Immaculate Conception – The Christ Child and the Infant John the Baptist with a Shell – Christ on the Cross (1675, 1677) – The Conversion of Saint Paul – The Good Shepherd – The Holy Family with a Little Bird – The Immaculate Conception of El Escorial – The Immaculate Conception of Los Venerables – The Martyrdom of Saint Andrew – Our Lady of the Rosary – The Patrician's Dream – Rebecca and Eleazar Pradilla: Doña Joanna the Mad Ribera: Jacob's Dream – Democritus – Isaac and Jacob – Ixion – Tityos – The Martyrdom of Saint Philip – The Blind Sculptor Velázquez: Las Meninas – The Triumph of Bacchus – Las Hilanderas – The Surrender of Breda – Mars Resting – Equestrian Portrait of Philip IV – Equestrian Portrait of Elisabeth of France – Equestrian Portrait of Prince Balthasar Charles – Equestrian Portrait of Philip III – Equestrian Portrait of Margarita of Austria – Equestrian Portrait of the Count-Duke of Olivares – Adoration of the Magi – Apollo in the Forge of Vulcan – Christ Crucified – Coronation of the Virgin – View of the Garden of the Villa Medici – Prince Balthasar Charles as a Hunter – Portrait of the Infante Don Carlos – Doña Antonia de Ipeñarrieta y Galdós and Her Son Don Luis – The Jester Barbarroja – The Jester Calabacillas – The Jester Don Diego de Acedo – The Jester Don John of Austria – Portrait of Francisco Lezcano – Infanta Margarita Teresa in a Pink Dress – Portrait of Maria Anna – Portrait of Juan Martínez Montañés – The Nun Jerónima de la Fuente – Portrait of Pablo de Valladolid – Portrait of Philip IV in Armour – Portrait of Mariana of Austria – Portrait of Sebastián de Morra Zurbarán: Agnus Dei – The Death of Hercules – The Defence of Cádiz against the English – Hercules and the Hydra – Hercules separating the mounts Calpe And Abyla – Hercules Fighting the Nemean Lion – Saint Elizabeth of Portugal – Saint Luke Painting the Crucifixion – Saint Peter Nolasco's Vision of Saint Peter the Apostle – Still Life with Pots – The Vision of Saint Peter Nolasco
Dutch, Flemish, German	Anonymous: The Fountain of Life Baldung: The Three Ages of Man and Death Bosch: The Garden of Earthly Delights – Adoration of the Magi – Cutting the Stone – The Haywain Triptych – Head of a Halberdier – Paradise and Hell – The Seven Deadly Sins and the Four Last Things – The Temptation of St Anthony Bouts: Triptych of the Virgin's Life Bruegel the Elder: The Triumph of Death – The Wine of Saint Martin's Day – Excursion in the Countryside of Infanta Isabel Clara Eugenia – Life in the Countryside – The Infanta Isabel Clara Eugenia in the Mariemont Park (with de Momper) – Landscape (with de Momper) – The Five Senses (with Rubens) Campin: Marriage of the Virgin – The Werl Triptych de Crayer: Caritas Romana (1625) David: Rest on the Flight into Egypt Dürer: Adam and Eve – Self-Portrait van Dyck: Self-portrait with Sir Endymion Porter – The Betrayal of Christ – The Brazen Serpent – Diana and a Nymph Surprised by a Satyr – Saint Rosalia – The Crowning with Thorns van Hemessen: The Surgeon Francken the Younger: The Sciences and the Arts Jordaens: Apollo as Victor over Pan – Meleager and Atalanta – The Painter's Family Memling: Adoration of the Magi Mengs: Portrait of José Nicolás de Azara de Momper: Landscape with Sea and Mountains – A Farm – Flemish Market and Washing Place – Landscape with Skaters – The Infanta Isabel Clara Eugenia in the Mariemont Park (with Brueghel the Elder) – Landscape (with Brueghel the Elder) Patinir: Landscape with Charon Crossing the Styx Rembrandt: Judith at the Banquet of Holofernes Rubens: The Judgement of Paris (1638) – The Three Graces – Adoration of the Magi – The Dance of the Villagers – Diana and Callisto – Equestrian Portrait of the Duke of Lerma – The Fall of Man – The Garden of Love – The Birth of the Milky Way – The Rape of Europa – The Rape of Ganymede – Saint George and the Dragon – Saturn – The Triumph of the Church – Deucalion and Pyrrha – The Five Senses (with Brueghel the Elder) Stom: The Incredulity of Saint Thomas Strobel: Feast of Herod with the Beheading of St John the Baptist Teniers the Younger: Archduke Leopold Wilhelm in his Painting Gallery in Brussels (1651) Verhaecht: Alpine Landscape van der Weyden: The Descent from the Cross – Durán Madonna
Italian	Fra Angelico: Annunciation Anguissola: Portrait of Elisabeth of Valois – Portrait of Infanta Isabella Clara Eugenia ^[2] Bellini: Madonna and Child with Saint Mary Magdalene and Saint Ursula Botticelli: The Story of Nastagio Degli Onesti, part one Caravaggio: David and Goliath Carracci: Assumption of the Virgin – Mural Paintings from the Herrera Chapel – Venus, Adonis and Cupid Correggio: Noli me tangere – Madonna and Child with the Infant John the Baptist A. Gentileschi: The Birth of Saint John the Baptist O. Gentileschi: The Finding of Moses (1633) Leonardo: Mona Lisa (by his studio) Lotto: Portrait of Marsilio Cassotti and His Bride Faustina Mantegna: Death of the Virgin Parmigianino: Holy Family with Angels – Portrait of Camilla Gonzaga and Her Three Sons – Portrait of Pier Maria Rossi di San Secondo – Saint Barbara Raphael: Portrait of a Cardinal – Christ Falling on the Way to Calvary – Madonna of the Rose – Visitation – La Perla (with Romano) Romano: Holy Family under an Oak Tree Andrea del Sarto: Sacrifice of Isaac Tintoretto: Christ Washing the Disciples' Feet – Joseph and Potiphar's Wife – Judith and Holofernes (by his studio) – The Washing of the Feet Tiepolo: The Immaculate Conception Titian: The Bacchanal of the Andrians – Equestrian Portrait of Charles V – The Fall of Man – Alfonso d'Avalos Addressing his Troops – Danaë Receiving the Golden Rain (1565) – The Entombment – La Gloria – Madonna and Child with St Anthony of Padua and St Roch – Mater Dolorosa – Philip II in Armour – Portrait of Charles V with a Dog – Portrait of Federico II Gonzaga – Portrait of Isabella of Portugal – Sisyphus – Tityus – Religion saved by Spain – Self-Portrait (1567) – St Margaret and the Dragon – Venus and Adonis (1554) – Venus and Musician (1550, 1555) – The Virgin and Child with Saint George and Saint Dorothy – The Worship of Venus Veronese: Venus and Adonis – Christ Among the Doctors – The Finding of Moses
French	Anonymous: Agony in the Garden Baudry: The Pearl and the Wave van Loo: The Family of Philip V (1743) Lorrain: Landscape with St Paula of Rome Embarking at Ostia – The Ford – Landscape with St María de Cervelló – Landscape with the Burial of St Serapia – Landscape with the Finding of Moses – Landscape with the Temptation of St Anthony – Landscape with Tobias and Raphael Poussin: Parnassus – Landscape with Three Figures – Saint Cecilia Ranc: The Family of Philip V (1723) – Portrait of Ferdinand VI as a Boy Watteau: Marriage Contract and Country Dancing Vouet: Time Defeated by Love, Beauty and Hope
Other	British paintings

Sculptures

Rome	The Apotheosis of Claudius Castor and Pollux

^[1] On display at El Greco Museum in Toledo
^[2] On display at the Spanish Embassy in Paris

Category