The Dying Cleopatra — Attributed to Jan van Scorel

Attributed to Jan van Scorel. Painted c. 1520 - c. 1524.

Around 1520, Jan van Scorel travelled to Venice, Jerusalem and Rome, and became keeper of the papal collections in the Vatican. An antique statue there probably served as the inspiration for this painting. Queen Cleopatra, the last pharaoh of ancient Egypt, committed suicide by inducing a snake to bite her. Scorel depicts her nude and with pronounced musculature, in the throes of succumbing to the venom.

From the collection of the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam. Currently on display in Middle Ages and Renaissance, Main building, Renaissance in the Netherlands.

panel, oil paint (paint) · Original size: 61.3 × 36.3 cm · A. de Stuers Bequest

Print: 61.3 × 36.3 cm, printed on Hahnemühle FineArt archival cotton paper. Museum-grade reproduction quality, true to the colours and detail of the original work.

Frame (optional): a custom-made wooden frame in a matte black finish, cut to the exact dimensions of this print, with an off-white passe-partout mat and protective glazing. Ready to hang.

Source: https://id.rijksmuseum.nl/200107984. Image released under CC0 by the Rijksmuseum.