A rediscovered "Mark Antony and Cleopatra" by Gérard de Lairesse in Copenhagen

• Autores: Patrick Kragelund
• Localización: Zeitschrift für Kunstgeschichte, ISSN 0044-2992, Vol. 78, Nº. 3-4, 2015, págs. 498-504
• Idioma: inglés
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• Resumen

  • The article examines the motif of a painting from c. 1678-1681 by Gérard de Lairesse that since 1759 has been part of the Copenhagen Royal Collection (KMS sp305). Originally believed to represent Mark Antony and Cleopatra, it has since the mid-nineteenth century been labeled "Alexader and Roxane". For a number of reason, the original title seems preferable. First, the woman in the painting seems royal; second, she resembles rather closely de Lairesse's two other Cleopatras, in Amsterdam and Toronto. The decoration of her palace, finally, is exactly similar to what one sees in the famous Amsterdam painting. Given de Lairesse's inventive manner is providing suitable settings for his protaginists, it seems to follow that we here, once again, have an event taking place in the palace of Cleopatra in Alexadria.