Cleopatra

This 17th-century oil on canvas shows Cleopatra in the moment that the asp (Egyptian cobra), whose bite will cause her death, draws near. The queen of Egypt is shown from the waist up with her head lifted and tilted to the left to avoid looking, while she pulls back her clothing to reveal her right breast as the snake approaches it. The ample robes envelop her body in heavily contrasted folds. In a marked contrast of light and shadow, the image stands out on a dark background, against which the headdress covering her head is barely visible. Her skin appears soft and is painted in the off-white coloring characteristic of the Guido Reni school to which this canvas belongs.