Cleopatra
c. 1590-95
Medium
Engraving on ivory laid paper
Dimensions
Sheet (trimmed): 18.7 × 22.9 cm (7 3/8 × 9 1/16 in.)
Classification
Department
Prints and Drawings
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
268305
Art Historical Context
Jan Harmensz. Muller’s *Cleopatra*, created around 1590–95, captures the allure of the ancient Egyptian queen in a masterful engraving on ivory laid paper. Muller, a prominent Dutch artist of the Northern Mannerist school, was renowned for his intricate reproductive prints that drew from classical mythology and history. This work, measuring 18.7 × 22.9 cm, exemplifies his skill in translating elegant, elongated figures—hallmarks of Mannerism—into the precise lines of printmaking, making sophisticated imagery accessible beyond paintings. Engraving, an intaglio technique where Muller incised de...
About the Artist
Jan Harmensz. Muller · 1571–1628
Comment on works: Printer and Draughtsman