The Death of Mark Antony (Shakespeare, Antony and Cleopatra, Act 4, Scene 15) 1780

Thomas Watson rendered this mezzotint depicting Mark Antony's death, inspired by Shakespeare's play. Note the unmistakable presence of Cleopatra, adorned with a crown, as she cradles the dying Antony. Consider the diadem, a symbol of royal power, here worn by Cleopatra. The crown extends back through antiquity. Think of the laurel wreaths of Roman emperors, and further back to the pharaohs of Egypt. What begins as a simple marker of victory evolves into a potent emblem of authority. Observe the background in this composition, where Watson places sarcophagi. These vessels of the dead become a constant through-line that returns again and again. Their presence speaks to a human desire to preserve memory. They speak to the timeless cycle of life, death, and memory, a cycle that continues to engage our emotions and our subconscious minds.