The death of Cleopatra, Maria SZANTHO, 1928

Oil on panel representing ‘The Death of Cleopatra’ Signed lower right Maria SZANTHO, dated 1928. Hungarian school. A former pianist, she embarked on an artistic career under the tutelage of Kukan GEZA. Her favourite subjects soon became female nudes. In 1924, she exhibited her paintings at the Mucsarnok Salon in Budapest, where critics recognised her original style, having been influenced by painters such as Lotz and Benczur. The episode painted here relates the death of the Queen of Egypt in August 30 BC, when she was bitten by an asp, following the news of the defeat of her troops against those of Octavian, the future emperor of Rome.

Original frame (116×90), canvas and stretcher

Stamp on the back that indicates it was  exported by theThe National Gallery – Alexandros Soutsos Museum.

It probably belonged to the wealthy jurist and art collector Alexandros Soutsos.