The Banquet of Cleopatra
Giovanni Battista Tiepolo · 1743
Why it's great
The queen of Egypt, in a gown of silver and white, lifts a pearl and prepares to dissolve it in a cup of vinegar, to prove she can spend more at a feast than Mark Antony. Tiepolo painted a joyful, glittering banquet. The sparkling colors are brilliant. It's a fun story from history.
🏛️ Part of history
Cleopatra, Antony & the Rise of the Empire (44 BC – 14 AD) — In Tiepolo's glittering scene, Cleopatra dissolves a priceless pearl in her wine to win a bet with Antony.
Where to see it
📍 National Gallery of VictoriaMelbourne, Australia
Open in Maps ↗ About this museum →Hang it on your wall
Three places to look for a print of this painting, from budget to museum-grade:
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Giovanni Battista Tiepolo was born in Venice and became the greatest Italian painter of the 1700s. He painted huge, airy ceilings full of angels, gods and clouds in churches and palaces in Italy, Germany and Spain. His light, bright colors defined the last great age of Venetian painting. He died in Madrid in 1770.
