Cleopatra’s Banquet (1675-1680)

Cleopatra-s Banquet (1675-1680)

Lairesse, Gérard de (1641-1711)

Cleopatra’s Banquet
c.16751680
Oil on canvas, 74 x 95.5 cm
RijksmuseumAmsterdam

Cleopatra made a bet with Mark Antony on who could give the most lavish banquet. She won by dissolving a priceless pearl in vinegar and then drinking the mixture. De Lairesse painted this story like a scene from a play, situating the figures clad in antique costumes in a fitting décor of Classical architecture and furniture. His classicizing style breathed new life into Dutch painting. (RIJKS)

See also:

Cleopatra (69-30 BC)