The Death of Cleopatra 1872

Arnold Böcklin painted 'The Death of Cleopatra' in the late 19th century using oil on canvas. Dominated by a somber palette, Böcklin contrasts Cleopatra's pale skin with the dark background, casting her in an ethereal light. This juxtaposition, combined with the dramatic upward gaze, draws viewers into a scene charged with fatalistic beauty. Böcklin’s approach to composition and form invites a structuralist reading. The rigid verticality of the dark background squares off the scene, emphasizing Cleopatra's reclining pose. Her body is draped in a translucent veil, hinting at classical sculptures while simultaneously obscuring and revealing. The snake, a potent signifier, is clasped tightly, illustrating a symbolic embrace of death. The materiality of the paint itself, applied with visible brushstrokes, adds a layer of texture that challenges the smooth finish of academic painting. Böcklin uses this to destabilize the traditional representation of death, framing it as a moment of tragic beauty and reflective contemplation.