Angelica Katharina Kauffmann (October 30, 1741 - November 5, 1807) was a Swiss-Austrian neo classical painter.   A quite distinct movements in the decorative and visual arts, literature, theatre, music, and architecture that draw upon Western classical art and culture (usually that of Ancient Greece or Ancient Rome).

These movements were dominant during the mid 18th to the end of the 19th century.

She was born at Chur in Graubünden, Switzerland, but grew up in Schwarzenberg in Vorarlberg/Austria where her family originated.   Her father, Joseph Johann Kauffmann, was a relatively poor man but a skilled painter that was often traveling around for his works and acquired several languages from her mother Cleophea Lutz, read incessantly, and showed marked talents as a musician.

In 1754 her father took her to Milan. Later visits to Italy of long duration followed: in 1763 she visited Rome,  returning again in 1764. From Rome she passed to Bologna and Venice, being everywhere feted and caressed, as much for her talents as for her personal charms.

Carrier
While at Venice, she was induced by Lady Wentworth, the wife of the ambassador, to accompany her to London.  One of her first works was a portrait of David Garrick, exhibited in the year of her arrival at "Mr Moreing's great room in Maiden Lane".

The rank of Lady Wentworth opened society to her, and she was everywhere well received, the royal family especially showing her great favor.

It was doubtless owing to his good offices that she was among the signatories to the famous petition to the king for the establishment of the Royal Academy of Painting and Sculpture.

In its first catalog of 1769 she appears with "R.A." after her name (an honor she shared with one other lady, Mary Moser); and she contributed the Interview of Hector and Andromache, and three other classical compositions.

In 1773 she was appointed by the Academy with others to decorate St Paul's Cathedral, and it was she who, with Biagio Rebecca, painted the Academy's old lecture room at Somerset House.

Kauffmann's strength was her work in history painting, the most elite and lucrative category in academic painting during the 18th century.  Under the direction of Sir Joshua Reynolds, the Academy made a strong effort to promote history painting to a native audience who were more interested in commissioning and buying portraits and landscapes.

It is probable that her popularity declined a little in consequence of her unfortunate marriage; but in 1781, after her first husband's death (she had been long separated from him), she married Antonio Zucchi (1728–1795), a Venetian artist then resident in England.

In 1782 she lost her father; and in 1795, her husband. She continued at intervals to contribute to the Academy, her last exhibit being in 1797.   After this she produced little, and in 1807 she died in Rome, being honored by a splendid funeral under the direction of Canova.

The entire Academy of St Luke, with numerous ecclesiastics and virtuosi, followed her to her tomb in San Andrea delle Fratte, and, as at the burial of Raphael, two of her best pictures were carried in procession.

A few of her works in private collections were exhibited among the Old Masters at Burlington House.   But she is perhaps best known by the numerous engravings from her designs by Schiavonetti, Bartolozzi and others.   Those by Bartolozzi especially still found considerable favour with collectors.

Her life was written in 1810 by Giovanni de Rossi.   It has also been used as the basis of a romance by Leon de Wailly (1838) and it prompted the charming novel contributed by Mrs Richmond Ritchie to the Cornhill Magazine in 1875 entitled Miss Angel.

True, there are many Neo Classical Painters during the 18th to early 19th century.   Angelica Kauffmann; is one of those few, very few ladies who actaully succeeded in her field of arts and was accepted, recognized by many for her work and contribution.

This is a tribute to Angelica Kauffmann a Neo Classical Painter of her time.