Giambattista Tiepolo was a master of historical reenactments.

Cleopatra was a subject of fascination for Tiepolo. The Venetian master made sketches, painted frescoes and oil paintings concerning all things Cleopatra. He completed two large paintings of Cleopatra and Mark Antony dining together; one hangs at the Palazzo Labia in Venice, the other is in Melbourne, Australia; the latter is our topic of discussion today. 

The Banquet of Cleopatra is Tiepolo’s depiction of the encounter in Alexandria between Cleopatra and Mark Antony once Antony returned triumphant from Parthia. While Paolo Veronese is a distinct influence on the Banquet of Cleopatra, the banquet scene was lifted from Pliny the Elder. Where dripping with jewelry fit for a royal, Cleopatra dines with Mark Antony and guests. Teasing now, she’s about to make a cocktail ludicrously expensive by dropping a pearl earring in a goblet of vinegar. I mean, Mark Antony still has his helmet on like he’s going to be called away to battle!

Tiepolo was hard at work completing the painting during the winter of 1742-1743. There are subtle differences between the Venice painting and the Melbourne painting. For one thing, the Melbourne piece is notable for Cleopatra’s apricot dress. The illustriousness and luxury of the painting extends to the frame, which is in timber and gold leaf.

The painting came about with a little help from an unlikely friend, Francesco Algarotti. In 1743, Venice born Algarotti returned to his hometown to buy old and new paintings for his boss, Augustus III, King of Poland. Tiepolo impressed Algarotti with his sick skills on the canvas, causing Algarotti to more or less swoon over the master painter. By January of 1744, after a year of building rapport and gaining a friendship with Tiepolo, Algarotti spied the unfinished Banquet of Cleopatra in Tiepolo’s studio. While this painting wasn’t on the payroll, Tiepolo was willing to finish it for the Polish King. That’s what networking does for you.

The painting reached the National Gallery of Victoria in a most ludicrous way. It’s never a good sign when the leader of a country starts selling off parts of the state for cold hard cash, but that’s exactly what Joseph Stalin did to the Hermitage collection. Apparently, Stalin sold it to the National Gallery in London for a wad of cash. The Brits on the other hand, weary of dealing with the USSR at a time when they were bad guy numro uno, undervalued this most prestigious painting and the Aussies from Melbourne scooped up this one-of-a-kind treasure. Looking back now, it seems like a bargain, but the painting was pricey for its time. At £ 25,000, it was the most expensive painting sold in 1932.