Death of Cleopatra

Margravine Caroline Louise of Baden, who is one of the key figures of the Karlsruhe art collection, particularly sought out marvellously delicate works of fine painting, whose format and subject matter was of an intimate nature. Dutch Realism spoke to her more than the monumental gestures of the Baroque style, or the courtly fanciful Rococo art. She sent her advisors in search of works that were "très finis" and thus acquired artistic gems for Karlsruhe.

These include Willem Claeszoon Heda's "Breakfast Still Life" (C. 1635), Adam Pynacker's "Forest Landscape with Shepherds" (C. 1660), Frans van Mieris the Elder's "Portrait of a Young Man" (c.1660), Nicolas Berchem's "Winter Landscape with Lime Oven" (c. 1665/70), Gabriel Metsu's "Young Couple at Breakfast" (c. 1667), Gerrit Dou's "The Lace Maker" (1667), Willem van Aelst's "Still Life with Hunting Gear and Dead Partridge" (1668), Melchior de Hondecoeter's" Peace in the Chicken Yard" (1668), and Gerrit Berckheyde's "Dam Square in Amsterdam" (1689). Her self-proclaimed favourite was Caspar Netscher's "Death of Cleopatra" (1673). She copied it in 1764, creating an excellent pastel, which she offered to the Danish Academy in thanks for their appointment.