Print: Baxter - CL 43 A – Everyone knows the subject matter, the famous ancient Queen of Egypt who killed herself by letting a snake bite her breast. Taken from a painting by Miss E Sharpe after Guido.
 
The Baxter image is also well-known being one of the images in Baxter’s ‘Cabinet of Paintings’ published in 1837 BUT this is not that print.
 
Baxter reprinted this in the 1850’s but using his later more refined printing techniques and the results are remarkable different, please see image of both copies side by side which is shown for reference only. Courtney Lewis states the publishing date for this version as 1854 but it could have been as late as 1860 as one of the only mentions of this version is in Baxter retirement auction sale of that year.
 
This later image has substantially brighter colours, shows Baxter signature glaze that can be found on excellent copies of his later prints and it is also on a Stamped Mount which he didn’t introduce until the 1850’s.
 
This version is very rare and Baxter amended the title on his stamped mount to Cleopatra Queen of Egypt. Courtney Lewis numbered this print 43A as against 43 for the earlier version
 
Date: Mid 1850’s
 
Size (cm ht x w): 14.8 x 10.4
 
State: On Stamped Mount as issued
 
Condition: Excellent colours, very slight surface damage top left, some grubbiness to mount