 When exhibited in 1821 , Cleopatra was generally extremely well received , and considered among the finest paintings of its kind , and its success inspired Etty to paint more works in a similar vein . The exhibition of Cleopatra , coupled with the exhibition in January 1822 of A Sketch from One of Gray 's Odes ( Youth on the Prow ) which also depicted nude figures on a boat , drew criticism of Etty for his treatment of female nudes . The Times in early 1822 chided Etty , remarking that " We take this opportunity of advising Mr. Etty , who got some reputation for painting " Cleopatra 's Galley " , not to be seduced into a style which can gratify only the most vicious taste . Naked figures , when painted with the purity of Raphael , may be endured : but nakedness without purity is offensive and indecent , and on Mr. Etty 's canvass is mere dirty flesh . " Unlike nude studies by other artists of the period , Etty made no attempt to idealise the female nudes in Cleopatra , but instead painted them in realistic poses and realistic flesh tones . Possibly alarmed by the criticism , Freeling persuaded Etty to paint clothes onto some of the figures in Cleopatra , although in 1829 he allowed Etty to return the figures to the state in which he had originally painted them . 
