This tapestry, designed by Justus van Egmont (c. 1601–1674) and woven by the workshop of Willem van Leefdael (c. 1632–1688), purports to show Queen Cleopatra of Egypt (r. 51 BCE-30 BCE) enjoying a luxurious sea cruise on one of her pleasure barges. The most famous ancient description of a scene like this was written by the biographer, Plutarch (c. 50-120), who told of how the influential Roman general, Mark Antony (c. 83-30 BCE), was left awestruck by Cleopatra and her ornate ship at the Cydnus (Berdan) River. Plutarch wrote:
“She came sailing up the river Cydnus, in a barge with gilded stern and outspread sails of purple, while oars of silver beat time to the music of flutes and fifes and harps. She herself lay all along under a canopy of cloth of gold, dressed as Venus in a painting, and beautiful young boys, like painted Cupids, stood on each side to fan her. Her maids were dressed like sea nymphs and graces, some steering at the rudder, some working at the ropes. The perfumes diffused themselves from the vessel to the shore, which was covered with multitudes, part following the galley up the river on either bank, part running out of the city to see the sight. The market-place was quite emptied, and Antony at last was left alone sitting upon the tribunal” (Plutarch, The Parallel Lives, Life of Antony, chapter 26).
It is a pleasurable outing such as this that Justus van Egmont and Willem van Leefdael re-created in their tapestry. Cleopatra lived luxuriously off the ship, as well. The queen and her friends enjoyed throwing famously extravagant banquets and parties, to which Mark Antony was eventually invited, especially after the pair became a couple. Antony and Cleopatra’s fun and games were cut short, however, when they were defeated by the forces of their Roman rival, Octavian, in the year 30 BCE.
Written by C. Keith Hansley
Sources:
- Roman Lives by Plutarch, translated by Robin Waterfield. Oxford: Oxford University Press (Oxford World Classics), 1999, 2008.
- The Roman History by Cassius Dio, translated by Ian Scott-Kilvert. New York: Penguin Classics, 1987.
- http://classics.mit.edu/Plutarch/antony.html
- https://www.artic.edu/artworks/151037/cleopatra-enjoys-herself-at-sea-from-the-story-of-cleopatra
