Zelfmoord van Cleopatra 1710

Jan Goeree’s engraving, 'Suicide of Cleopatra', presents a moment of high drama rendered in precise detail. The composition, dominated by the figure of Cleopatra and her attendants, is framed within an elaborate architectural setting, using contrasting dark and light areas to draw the viewer's eye to the unfolding scene. The engraving’s formal structure reinforces the narrative. The lines, meticulously etched, create a sense of depth and texture, emphasizing the opulence of Cleopatra’s surroundings and the emotional intensity of her final act. Goeree employs a visual language rooted in classical motifs and symbols. This constructs meaning through the depiction of power, death and sacrifice. The very act of engraving, with its linear precision, seems to impose a rational order onto the chaotic moment of death. The artwork invites us to contemplate the interplay between form and content, between the artist's technique and the historical and cultural narratives that the work embodies.