Dood van Cleopatra 1510 - 1550

Sebald Beham's "Death of Cleopatra" is a small but intense engraving, made sometime in the first half of the 16th century. The composition centers on Cleopatra, seated and slumping, with a snake at her breast. A sense of entrapment is created through the window, the barred cell, and the discarded shackles, all delineated with sharp, clear lines. The texture of the stone is meticulously rendered, contrasting with the smoother skin of Cleopatra, emphasizing her vulnerability. The use of light and shadow is stark, heightening the drama of the scene. Beham employs a semiotic system, using the snake as a potent symbol of both death and the exotic allure of Cleopatra herself. The composition challenges fixed meanings of power and femininity. The image destabilizes the traditional heroic portrayal of rulers, presenting instead a scene of intimate, personal demise. This engraving functions as a complex interplay of aesthetic skill and cultural commentary, prompting ongoing interpretation.