Artwork
Cleopatra
Cleopatra is a print by the Romanticist artist J. Perry. It dates from 3 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
About this work
The name below says this is called Cleopatra, but it’s not a painting, it’s a print made in 1812.
This print shows a woman’s head and shoulders with a soft, dreamy look. Her hair is styled in loose curls, and a snake coils around her arm, resting on her shoulder. The background is plain, keeping all focus on her face and the snake.
The name below says this is called Cleopatra, but it’s not a painting, it’s a print made in 1812. The artist, Perry, drew it to look like a sculpture or ancient coin.
Check out the Victoria and Albert Museum to see more prints like this.
Overview
This print, dated 1812, is a representation of Cleopatra attributed to the artist Perry. It is a design for a bust, rendered in a style reminiscent of ancient sculpture or numismatics.
Subject & Meaning
The image depicts a woman's head and shoulders, identified as Cleopatra by the inscription. A snake coils around her arm, resting on her shoulder, a motif associated with the ancient Egyptian queen's legendary death.
Technique & Style
The print is executed in a manner that mimics black chalk drawing. It was later reproduced as Plate 35 in Ottley’s 'School of Design' in 1823. The artist's use of a plain background emphasizes the subject's face and the snake.
History & Provenance
The original drawing was created by Perry in 1812. A later print version is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum, alongside other similar works.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
Artist
This artist made a single surviving print called Cleopatra from 1812. The work shows the Egyptian queen in profile, draped in classical robes next to a palm tree, her hieroglyph-covered obelisk rising behind. The…
