A BRUSSELS TAPESTRY OF MARC ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA, AFTER DESIGNS BY CHARLES POERSON (1609–1667), SECOND HALF 17TH CENTURY

Estate of Senator Champ Clark (according to 1968 inventory)

Gift of Dora Donner Ide, by repute 

The Triumph of Cleopatra is one of eight tapestries from a suite dedicated to the famous Queen of Egypt. A related piece with the identical composition but a less sophisticated border design was woven in Brussels by Jean Le Clerc and Daniel Eggermans, based on cartoons made by the French painter Charles Poerson (1609–1667) and is preserved in the King Baudouin Foundation in Brussels. 

The scene represents Marc Antony and Cleopatra riding at the head of a triumphal procession, but does not obviously refer to a particular historical event. The location is probably intended to be Alexandria, and the soldiers part of Mark Antony’s army. Monuments in flames can be seen in the background. The composition is surrounded by a lavish border of flowers, typical of Brussels tapestries from the 17th century. 

The cartoon was created by the French painter Charles Poerson. Other series featuring historical characters are also attributed to Poerson, notably the stories of Moses, Clovis, Titus and Vespasian.