Cleopatra 1530 - 1565

This bronze statuette of Cleopatra was created by Severo Calzetta da Ravenna, an Italian sculptor of the Renaissance. The sculpture captures Cleopatra, the last active ruler of the Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt, in the moments before her death. During the Renaissance, Cleopatra was often portrayed in art and literature as a symbol of female power, sexuality, and intelligence. However, she was also seen as a dangerous seductress whose foreign influence threatened the stability of the Roman Empire. Here, Ravenna both continues and complicates these Renaissance portrayals. In this intimate depiction, Cleopatra is nude, which emphasizes her vulnerability, but she also wears a crown, signifying her status. She has been bitten by the asp, which she holds, but her expression is not of pain, but rather surprise. This Cleopatra seems to embrace death as an act of defiance, choosing to die on her own terms rather than be captured by the Romans. The sculpture is a potent reminder of the complexities of identity, power, and representation.