Focus on The Death of Cleopatra and discuss the abstract.
The Death of Cleopatra (Spanish: La muerte de Cleopatra), also known simply as Cleopatra, is an 1881 oil painting on canvas by the Filipino painter Juan Luna, currently on display at the Museo del Prado in Madrid, Spain. Depicting the death of Cleopatra, the last active ruler of Ancient Egypt, the painting was painted during Luna's stay in Rome, and later won a silver medal during the 1881 National Exposition of Fine Arts in Madrid, which was also his first art exposition.The painting, one of only three pieces by Filipino artists on permanent display at the Prado, is notable both for its composition and its history. Painted during a time of increased national consciousness, The Death of Cleopatra not only served as a representation of a colonized people standing up against their colonizer, but also brought to attention the ability of Filipino artists, and particularly Luna himself, to surpass their European contemporaries.
increased national consciousness Death of Cleopatra Rome Cleopatra Spanish Juan Luna Ancient Egypt silver medal oil painting Museo del Prado death Spain National Exposition of Fine Arts Madrid