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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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

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:
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
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