The dramatic moment of the death of Cleopatra, with a tumbling fruit basket and an asp around her arm, is the subject of this ivory carving by the French sculptor Henry de Triqueti.
The piece is predominantly carved from a single large tusk, the shape of which accommodates the flowing drapery, reclining body and tangle of hair. It was made for the British market in 1859 and exhibited at the Colnaghi gallery in London, where it was viewed by Queen Victoria and Prince Albert.
Triqueti had been well established with royal patronage in France before the fall of the July Monarchy in 1848. He then turned to the English market, and soon came to the attention of Queen Victoria, who bought his ivory group Sappho and Cupid (c1851) as a Christmas present for Prince Albert in 1852. He later designed the decorative scheme for the Albert Memorial Chapel at Windsor Castle.
In 2020, an export bar was placed on the sale of The Death of Cleopatra due to its rarity and the royal connections of the artist. Following a successful campaign, it now joins the V&A’s European sculpture collection as a superb example of mid-19th-century Franco-British taste.
More information
Title of artwork, date
The Death of Cleopatra, 1859
Date supported
2021
Medium and material
Ivory
Dimensions
38 x 51 cm
Total cost
150000

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