(Florence 1621–1716)
The Death of Cleopatra,
oil on canvas, 119.5 x 95 cm, unframed

Provenance:
Private European collection, since the 1980s

We are grateful to Silvia Benassai for endorsing the attribution of the present painting on the basis of a photograph.

The present painting depicts the dramatic suicide of Cleopatra by a venomous snakebite. The composition focuses on the Ptolemaic queen, showing her half-length and embellishing the richness of her robes and jewellery. Onofrio Marinari executed another painting with the same subject, now in the Longhi Foundation in Florence (S. Benassai, Onorio Marinari. Pittore a Firenze degli ultimi Medici, Florence 2011, p. 146, cat. no. 73). The latter, also half-length, differs from the work presented her only in the gestures and the position of Cleopatra’s face. Both paintings show the same pathos and vivid colours of the clothing. Both works can be dated to the 1680s.

Son of the painter Gismondo Marinari and Maddalena Guinterini, Onorio Marinari was born in Florence. After an early training in his father's workshop, the artist was introduced to the prestigious workshop of his friend and relative Carlo Dolci, where he soon attained a prominent position. Often considered Dolci’s most skillful pupil, Marinari was influenced by his master’s compositions and style throughout his career.