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Fay and Jane Birkinshaw  1938	Cleopatra  1938	Leo Bensemann  1938
Lawrence Baigent  1938-39/1943	Head of a Maori boy  1938-39	Self-portrait  1936-37
Self-portrait (in green jacket)  1936-37	Self-portrait  circa 1937	Rita Cook bookplate  1937-38
Composition with self-portrait  circa 1937	Portrait of Jean Angus  1937	Jean Angus  1937
Tilli Frankel  1939	Jean Stevenson  1937

Cleopatra

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Rita Angus and Leo Bensemann were fascinated by the art of ancient Egypt. Angus recalled: ‘Leo & I painted one another’s portraits and we played at Mark Anthony and Cleopatra … I’d been reading Cleopatra’s life … and in one of my dramatic moments I lived and enjoyed it too.’

Angus began Cleopatra at this time. The pose is derived from ancient Egyptian art, but the modern young woman is clearly the artist herself.