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Secondary sourceSculpture

Cleopatra

William Wetmore Story

A marble statue of Cleopatra made by the American sculptor William Wetmore Story, now in a museum collection.

A later sculpture imagining Cleopatra, showing how artists long after her death pictured the queen.

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Sepia-toned photograph of a white marble seated statue of Cleopatra by William Wetmore Story. She sits on a plinth engraved with the name CLEOPATRA, head resting on her raised hand, wearing a veil and draped robe, against a stone wall.
William Wetmore Story, Cleopatra, marble sculpture (photograph).

About this source

What it is

This is a marble statue of Cleopatra, made by the American sculptor William Wetmore Story. A photograph of the statue is held by a museum collection, and a copy is recorded at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.

Why it matters

Cleopatra was the last ruler of the Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt, and centuries after her death she became a popular subject for artists. This statue shows how Story imagined her: seated, thoughtful, draped in robes, resting her head on her hand. It tells us less about the real Cleopatra than about how 19th-century artists and audiences pictured powerful ancient women.

Look closer

  • What mood or personality does the pose suggest to you?
  • Why might a sculptor in 19th-century America choose Cleopatra as a subject?
  • How might this image differ from how Cleopatra actually looked or wanted to be seen?

This sculpture is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Cleopatra on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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Close-up photo of a brownish papyrus sheet with dark ink lines of Greek handwriting in columns, torn edges, and a dark background showing through a split down the middle.Document

Primary source

Papyrus with Signature of Cleopatra VII

Ptolemaic scribe; possibly countersigned by Cleopatra VII · February 33 BCE

Hand-coloured aquatint titled Baths of Cleopatra, at Alexandria. A rocky coastal scene with a curved sandy inlet in the foreground, stone steps and a small arched doorway, a hill with ruined structures behind, and sailing boats on the sea. Figures in turbans and robes stand on the shore and sit in a rowboat.Painting

Secondary source

Baths of Cleopatra, at Alexandria

Luigi Mayer · 1802

Photograph of a white marble bust of a woman's head and upper neck, turned to the viewer's right. Wavy hair is combed over the forehead, a smooth bun sits at the back, and the hair shows a pinkish-brown discoloration. Light gray wall behind.Sculpture

Primary source

Portrait of Cleopatra (Berlin Bust)

c. 40-30 BCE

Marble sculpture of a woman's head and upper neck, shown in three-quarter view on a black stand against a brick wall. The hair is pulled back under a band with a knot at the top and a braided bun at the back. The face is calm with straight brows, a long nose, and closed lips. The bust is cut off at the base.Sculpture

Primary source

Head-Portrait of Cleopatra VII (Vatican Bust)

c. 40-30 BCE

Stone wall carving at an ancient Egyptian temple showing figures in traditional pharaonic poses and dress.Artifact

Primary source

Dendera Temple Relief of Cleopatra and Caesarion

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