Caesar's Death Makes Cleopatra Mourn from The Story of Caesar and Cleopatra c. 1680

This tapestry, "Caesar's Death Makes Cleopatra Mourn," is one from a series called *The Story of Caesar and Cleopatra* by Geraert Peemans. The artwork presents Cleopatra in a moment of grief, a depiction steeped in historical and cultural contexts that highlight the queen's complex identity. Cleopatra, as both a ruler and a woman in a patriarchal society, navigated a world of political intrigue and power dynamics. This tapestry invites us to consider how Cleopatra's identity was constructed and perceived through the lenses of gender and power. Here, Cleopatra's mourning is framed within a larger narrative of political upheaval and personal loss. The tapestry serves as a visual representation of the intersection between private emotions and public roles, capturing the queen's sorrow as a potent symbol of the human cost of empire.