Portret van Kitty Fisher als Cleopatra 1759 - 1765

This print by Edward Fisher presents Kitty Fisher as Cleopatra. Notice how the composition is built around the sitter's gaze, directed away from us, which pulls our eyes across the plane, engaging with the dramatic tension of the cup and pearls. Fisher plays with the semiotics of portraiture, contrasting classical symbols of power with the sitter's celebrity. The pearls become a signifier of both wealth and impending demise, destabilizing the traditional association of pearls with purity and virtue. The contrast of light and shadow brings a tactile quality, enhancing the viewer's engagement. This artwork doesn't just represent Kitty Fisher; it uses her image as a battleground for ideas about beauty, morality, and power in the 18th century.