Image: Venus and Cupid from the House of Marcus Fabius Rufus at Pompeii, most likely a depiction of Cleopatra VII

Description: An ancient Roman wall painting in Room 71 of the House of Marcus Fabius Rufus at Pompeii, Italy, showing Venus with a cupid's arms wrapped around her. It is most likely a depiction of Cleopatra VII of Ptolemaic Egypt as Venus Genetrix, with her son Caesarion as a cupid. It was most likely painted in conjunction with the September 46 BC foundation of the Temple of Venus Genetrix in the Forum Iulium (i.e. Forum of Caesar) by Julius Caesar, where he erected a gilded statue depicting Queen Cleopatra (as described by Appian in his 2nd-century AD Bella Civilia). Further information on this painting and the identification as Cleopatra VII and Caesarion in it can be found on page 175 in the following source: * Roller, Duane W. (2010). Cleopatra: a biography. Oxford: Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780195365535. For further photographs and explanation, see "VII.16.22 Pompeii. Casa di Fabio Rufo or House of M Fabius Rufus."
Title: Venus and Cupid from the House of Marcus Fabius Rufus at Pompeii, most likely a depiction of Cleopatra VII
Credit: Walker, Susan. "Cleopatra in Pompei?" in Papers of the British School at Rome, 76 (2008), pp. 35-46 and 345-8.
Author: Anonymous, ancient Roman wall painter at Pompeii
Usage Terms: Public domain
License: Public domain
Attribution Required?: No