TIEPOLO, Giovanni Battista
(b. 1696, Venezia, d. 1770, Madrid)

The Banquet of Cleopatra

1743-44
Oil on canvas, 249 x 346 cm
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne

Magnificent, brightly lit palace architecture is the setting for Cleopatra's banquet. However, the historical event of the meeting between the Queen of Egypt and the Roman Anthony takes second place to the creation of an opulent banqueting scene in the manner of Veronese. It is therefore the sumptuous costumes, the magnificent receptacles and the rich variety of foods which draw most attention as they are proffered by the servants of the court, who include moors, a dwarf and a dog - a collection of elements typical of the work of Veronese.