Cleopatra met slang 1526

This is a 16th-century print of Cleopatra with a snake by Monogrammist AC. The composition is immediately striking, dominated by Cleopatra’s muscular form which is rendered with bold lines and detailed cross-hatching. This technique gives the figure a palpable sense of volume. Cleopatra’s interaction with the snake isn’t merely illustrative, it is a powerful semiotic device. The snake, a signifier of both life and death, coils around her arm, its sinuous form mirroring the curves of her own body. This interplay suggests a complex relationship between power, sexuality, and mortality. Consider how the artist uses line and form to destabilize traditional representations. Cleopatra is not depicted as a passive beauty, but as an active agent, her muscularity and the snake a visual expression of her agency. The dense texture of the engraving adds a tactile quality to the image, reinforcing the immediacy of the scene. The print challenges fixed notions of femininity and power, inviting us to reconsider the narratives we inherit.