Cleopatra and the Peasant (1838) by Eugene Delacroix

Cleopatra and the Peasant - Eugene Delacroix - 1838

Artwork Information

TitleCleopatra and the Peasant
ArtistEugene Delacroix
Date1838
Mediumoil,canvas
Art MovementRomanticism
Current LocationAckland Art Museum (University of North Carolina), Chapel Hill, NC, US

About Cleopatra and the Peasant

The artwork “Cleopatra and the Peasant” by Eugene Delacroix, dated 1838, is an oil on canvas painting that belongs to the Romanticism movement. Classified as a history painting, it is part of the collection of the Ackland Art Museum at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill, NC, United States.

The artwork presents a dramatic and psychologically intense interaction between two figures, presumably Cleopatra, the legendary Queen of Egypt, and a peasant. Cleopatra is rendered with a sense of regal poise and enigmatic expression, seated elegantly with her gaze possibly fixed on something beyond the canvas. Her attire, adorned with gold and rich fabrics, reflects her royal status, and her jewelry, including the diadem on her head, further emphasizes her nobility.

The figure of the peasant contrasts starkly with Cleopatra, portrayed with a robust and earthy presence. His muscular physique, accentuated by the play of light and shadow, suggests a life of manual labor. His clothing is simple and rough, in contrast to the luxurious garb of Cleopatra, and he is depicted in a moment of what appears to be a submissive or possibly reverent gesture towards the queen.

Delacroix’s use of chiaroscuro imbues the scene with a sense of depth and drama, highlighting the tension inherent in the encounter between these two individuals from vastly different walks of life. The painter’s brushwork is loose and expressive, characteristic of the Romantic style, adding to the dynamic quality of the artwork. The emotional intensity and the theme of the painting are typical of Romanticism’s fascination with historical and legendary figures and the depiction of human experience with a heightened sense of drama and emotion.

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