Sleeping Ariadne

Ancient Roman Sleeping Ariadne shows the mythological princess asleep on the island of Naxos, where Theseus abandoned her after she helped him escape the Minotaur's labyrinth. This Roman marble, dated to the 2nd century CE, was long misidentified as Cleopatra dying from an asp bite.

Ariadne reclines on rocks, her arm curved over her head in a pose suggesting deep sleep. Her drapery clings to her body, revealing the form beneath. A snake bracelet on her arm led to the Cleopatra misidentification. The figure's sensuality and the virtuoso carving of translucent fabric made it highly influential. It stands in the Vatican Museums' Pio-Clementino Museum.