Angelica Kauffman

(c) National Portrait Gallery, London; Supplied by The Public Catalogue Foundation

Anna Maria Angelica Catharina Kauffman was born in Chur, Switzerland, in 1741. Her father, himself a painter, soon recognized that his daughter’s talents exceeded his own. Following her mother’s untimely death, he put his career aside in favor of hers. Together, the two travels through Italy as she honed her skills by copying masterpieces and painting portraits.

By the time they reached Venice, Angelica had attracted considerable attention among the nobility. Her gender added to her notoriety as an artist but also limited her work. Female artists of the day were not allowed to study the human anatomy necessary to execute the most elevated as well as lucrative form of painting, known as history painting.

Angelica received her biggest break when the wife of the British ambassador invited her to London in 1766. In the period leading up to the formation of the Royal Academy—of which Angelica was one of two female founding members—the arts flourished. Angelica had no difficulty securing wealthy and prestigious patrons, including the Queen Mother.

The fifteen years Angelica spent in London were the highlight of her career. As a result of her talents, as well as a certain je ne sais quoi, her popularity skyrocketed. Engravers immortalized her paintings. Artists and others courted her. Yet despite this fame and success, she was not fully satisfied by the level of support for her history painting.

In 1781, Angelica returned to Italy, eventually settling in Rome, where she enjoyed a prominent place in the international community of artists, poets, and public figures. She continued to paint, and annually submitted work to the Royal Academy. In all, she executed more than 800 works of art.

Upon her death in 1807, she was buried in Sant’ Andrea delle Fratte.