Death of Cleopatra 1525

Rosso Fiorentino’s “Death of Cleopatra”, created in 1525, depicts the final moments of the Egyptian Queen. Cleopatra, the last active pharaoh of Ancient Egypt, is shown reclining on a luxurious couch, her lifeless body draped in fabric and her arm adorned with a serpent. The scene is rendered with dramatic detail, emphasizing the tragic demise of the queen, a popular subject of art history. This work highlights the artistic style of the Mannerist movement with its use of dramatic composition and exaggerated figures. "Death of Cleopatra" can be viewed at the Herzog Anton Ulrich Museum in Braunschweig, Germany.