Signed Mid-Century British Surrealist Watercolour Death of Cleopatra Framed

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Mid-Century British Surrealist Watercolor – "Death of Cleopatra" by Wenda Jerrum (c.1960) – Symbolist Egyptian Mythology – Framed Narrative Art

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Full Chairish Listing Description:

About This Piece:
Step into a visually charged and emotionally complex interpretation of history and myth with this original mid-century Surrealist watercolor painting, "Death of Cleopatra", by British artist Wenda Jerrum, circa 1960.

This rare and collectible work offers a unique blend of narrative surrealism, symbolic abstraction, and psychological storytelling—a hallmark of Jerrum's emerging recognition among collectors of British female surrealists.

Artistic Highlights:
Wenda Jerrum’s vision transforms the final moments of Cleopatra VII into a surreal dreamscape:

Cleopatra, both queen and archetype, is captured mid-action, holding a poison dagger in a suspended, trance-like pose.
Surrounding her: Figures that blur the line between historical characters and psychological states—fear, defiance, resignation, and cosmic transition.
A towering Bennu bird (Egyptian Phoenix) looms, rendered with exaggerated scale and dramatic wing spread—a direct Surrealist metaphor for death, rebirth, and mythic transformation.
Surrealist Elements Include:
Distorted Space & Form: Figures twist unnaturally, held in dreamlike paralysis.
Color Symbolism:
Cool Blues & Whites: Detachment, mourning
Rich Golds & Browns: Spiritual transformation
Pinks & Blacks: Passion, vulnerability, human frailty
Geometric Checkered Floor: Adds a sense of optical disorientation—playing with the viewer’s spatial perception.
Jerrum’s layered washes and expressive linework heighten the emotional charge, making this more than historical illustration—it’s a psychological meditation on fate and choice.

About the Artist – Wenda Jerrum:
While not widely known, Wenda Jerrum is gaining collector attention for her emotionally driven narrative surrealism. Her work is characterized by:

Mythic storytelling
Emotionally loaded figuration
Surrealist distortion woven into historical scenes
This piece is signed lower right, confirming authenticity.

Framing Details:
Professionally framed in a Larson Juhl Canaletto moulded frame with a gold and pewter foil finish and spoon profile design—elegantly complementing the artwork’s tonal drama.
Ready to hang
Provenance:
Acquired from a Private UK Collection
Formerly held by Grays & Sons, Carlisle LTD
Now offered by Cheshire Antiques Consultant LTD
Why You’ll Love It:
Rare, emotionally charged mid-century British Surrealist narrative piece
Highly collectible example of female British surrealism
Striking visual presence with strong storytelling energy
Professionally framed and ready for immediate display
Growing market interest in mid-century female surrealists See less