1547
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Death of Cleopatra is a 1547 ink by Augustin Hirschvogel, a Renaissance work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This sketch shows a half-naked woman lying on the ground, her head tilted back. A snake curls around her arm and hovers near her face. Behind her, a detailed cityscape unfolds with tiny buildings, trees, and winding roads. The lines are rough and scratchy, like they were drawn quickly. The woman’s pose and the snake suggest she’s dying. The city behind her looks like a real place, but it’s drawn in a way that feels both precise and a little chaotic. Want to see more? Look up etching to see how this technique works.
Augustin Hirschvogel (1503 – February 1553) was a German artist, mathematician, and cartographer known primarily for his etchings.
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