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Accused of dressing as a boy to study in the prestigious galleries of eighteenth-century Italy, child prodigy Angelica Kauffman has set high goals for herself. She is determined to become a history painter, a career off-limits to women. To ensure her success, she has vowed never to marry.
When a new patron invites her to London, Angelica befriends famous artists, paints portraits of Queen Charlotte and other royalty, and becomes a founding member of the Royal Academy. While still in London, an alluring but mysterious Swedish count makes her an offer that may be too tempting to resist. Then, upon returning to Italy, she meets Wolfgang von Goethe.
Time and time again, Angelica faces the insurmountable obstacles and great personal sacrifices that come with being an independent woman. The vows she makes, big and small, are repeatedly challenged. Will she break free from the traditional male/female binary and the many oppressive social dictates of her time and learn to “paint with her soul” . . . or is a vow of a different sort necessary if she is to answer the deepest call of her heart?
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about the life of Angelica Kauffman and
the paintings featured in The Vow.
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Praise for The Vow
“Jude Berman has created a spirited, engaging glimpse into the life of one of the most important artists of the eighteenth century. Kauffman was a true free spirit, dedicated to her art, and that is captured beautifully in this novel.”
Susanne Dunlap
Award-winning author of The Portraitist: A Novel of Adélaïde Labille-Guiard
“Enthralling, beautiful portrait of the talented neoclassical artist Angelica Kauffman, whose fierce passion for independence drove her love and ambition. Berman’s vivid dialogue recreates the fascinating tug between Kauffman’s sensual artistry and clever intellect. Skillfully evocative of time and place, The Vow is a must-read for art-loving historical fiction readers.”
Joan Fernandez
Author of Saving Vincent: A Novel of Jo van Gogh
“The Vow uncovers the life of Angelica Kauffman, an artist who vows never to marry but instead pursue her art. Berman imagines rich scenes of Kauffman’s struggles as a woman trying to succeed and find love too. An insightful and intimate book that pulls back the curtain on the art salons of eighteenth-century Italy and England.
Linda Moore
Author of Attribution
“The Vow poignantly explores both the rewards and challenges of being a creative woman. With its rich descriptions of eighteenth-century Europe, this novel is a well-researched, timeless look at how powerfully the soul can guide us, both in art and in love.”
Ginny Kubitz Moyer
Author of The Seeing Garden
“In The Vow, Berman brings a mostly forgotten eighteenth-century artist breathtakingly to life. Angelica Kauffman was truly exceptional—fierce, independent, beautiful, fought over by patrons and lovers. This graceful and well-researched novel exposes the deepest heart of a passionate woman who makes excruciating choices to keep her spirit free.”
Laurel Huber
Author of The Velveteen Daughter
“Jude Berman’s The Vow brilliantly explores the life of 18th-century Swiss artist Angelica Kauffman. In an era when women lived with few rights, Kauffman rejects society’s restrictions and follows her dream of becoming a successful portraitist and history painter. In a stellar first-person narrative, we share Kauffman’s struggles, passions, and successes. If you’re a fan of classical art, historical novels, and the roots of feminism, you’ll love The Vow.”
Susen Edwards
Author of What a Trip: A Novel