Dismantling Western Art Connotations and Victorian Ideals
"The Death of Cleopatra," 1876, Marble, 63 x 31 1/4 x 46 in. (160.0 x 79.4 x 116.8 cm.), Smithsonian American Art Museum
Edmonia Lewis is famous for her incredible sculptural masterpieces; she was born free in New York in 1844 and then moved to Rome to continue her flourishing art career. Specializing in marble sculpting, she crafted one of the most impressive works in the 19th century.
Above is "The Death of Cleopatra," weighing nearly 3,015 pounds and portraying a common motif in an uncommon way. Created for the 1876 Philadelphia Centennial Exposition, Edmonia Lewis utilized the popular scene of Cleopatra being willingly bitten by a poisonous asp after she had lost her crown. The queen's death has been memorialized by an incredible amount of art mediums, however, all of them have two things in common: the near-perfect state of Cleopatra at the brink of death and the slaves that surround her.
Lewis chose to omit these two details, going against the ideals and societal norms at the time. In a subtle statement, she chose to depict the death realistically without the pretense of Victorian perfectionism while also paying homage to the recent Emancipation by purposely leaving out her slaves.
The piece amazed the audience of the centennial, drawing in thousands despite the "shocking" and "scandalous" depiction. With the hint of a form underneath the flowing fabrics, the look of peaceful remorse on her face, and its overwhelming presence, it is no wonder that it was considered the most remarkable American sculpture in the Centennial.
And that’s art.