Cleopatra’s Banquet, Gerard de Lairesse, c. 1675 - c. 1680
oil on canvas, h 74cm × w 95.5cm More details
Who could throw the most lavish banquet? This was the bet between the Egyptian pharaoh Cleopatra and the Roman general Mark Antony. Cleopatra won the wager by dissolving a pearl in vinegar and then drinking the mixture. In this painting, she is just removing her earring. De Lairesse painted this story like a scene from a play, with antique costumes and classical architecture.
