Angelica Kauffman

Neoclassicism spread to England, where a Swiss-born painter named Angelica Kauffman became popular. She had moved to England with the support of a noblewoman and gained attention for her Neoclassical history paintings. Kauffman’s work was influenced by the writings of Jean-Jacques Rousseau, especially his ideas about citizenship and family roles. Rousseau promoted a belief sometimes called the myth of the happy mother, which suggested that women should find fulfillment by raising children and supporting their households. Kauffman used this idea in her paintings by showing women and children in classical scenes.

One example is her painting Cornelia, Mother of the Gracchi, which shows Cornelia visiting a woman who shows off her jewelry. When asked where her own jewels are, Cornelia gestures to her children and says, “These are my jewels.” The figures in the painting are arranged in a frieze-like layout, with simple clothing and classical features. This layout is similar to sculptures like the Ara Pacis Augustae, a Roman altar that includes reliefs of women and children. Kauffman also seems to refer to a Greek sculpture called the Stele of Hegeso, which shows a seated woman receiving a jewelry box from her servant. The facial features of one woman in Kauffman’s painting even resemble the straight-nosed profile common in Greek sculpture.

Angelica Kauffman painted Cornelia, Mother of the Gracchi around 1785. The story in the painting comes from ancient Roman history. Cornelia was the mother of Tiberius and Gaius Gracchus, two brothers who later became known for trying to reform Rome’s laws to help poor people. In this painting, the scene shows Cornelia visiting a woman who is showing off her jewelry. The woman, seated on the left, gestures toward a box filled with gold or precious items. Cornelia, standing in the center, responds by pointing to her children, saying that they are her most valuable treasures.

This idea comes from a text by the Roman historian Valerius Maximus, who wrote short moral stories from the Roman Republic. The painting shows that specific moment. It uses iconography—or visual symbols—to tell the story. The jewels in the box stand for material wealth. Cornelia’s gesture toward her sons shows a different kind of value, based on family and future generations. Her body language is calm and direct, and her sons stand close to her, with one boy looking up at her. This part of the image organizes the main message around her central figure.

The background is plain, with some classical architecture and pillars, and the figures are placed in a line that runs horizontally across the canvas, kind of like a frieze, which is a style borrowed from ancient Greek and Roman sculpture. This kind of structure makes it easier to follow the story, since everyone is clearly separated and doing something specific.

Cornelia’s clothing is based on styles from classical Rome. Her dress is long and simple, and she’s barefoot, which was often used in art to show historical or mythological figures. The woman on the left wears fancier clothes, and the little girl beside her holds the jewelry box. These figures are arranged to contrast with Cornelia, setting up a comparison between two types of values—wealth and family. That contrast is one of the main things organizing the whole scene.

When Kauffman painted this, she was working in England and was part of a group of artists who were using stories from ancient history to talk about modern behavior. The painting connects to ideas from Jean-Jacques Rousseau, especially his writings about what makes a good citizen and a good parent. In his work, he wrote about the role of women in society and how they should raise children who support the state. Art historians sometimes talk about this using the phrase the myth of the happy mother, meaning the idea that women were expected to find meaning by raising good children rather than seeking their own careers or wealth.

People at the time would have seen this painting and understood it as a message about values. It was made during a period when European societies were debating what kind of citizens they wanted, and women were being encouraged to raise strong, moral children. The painting was shown in exhibitions and probably owned by someone who agreed with these ideas. It’s not connected to a church or temple, and it wasn’t made for a religious building or public site. It was meant to be seen indoors, maybe in a gallery or private collection.

Some scholars focus on how Kauffman used classical styles, like the frieze-like setup and Greek-style clothing, to connect her story to ancient ideals. Others talk more about how she used art to join in political discussions happening in England and France during the late 1700s. Either way, the symbols—like the children, the jewelry, and the gestures—are clear and carefully placed to support the story being told.

Kauffman was using the language of classicism to promote a new social message. She placed the same kind of symbolic importance on women’s roles that David placed on public duty. There’s even a story about David asking his wife to donate her jewelry to support the Revolution, which shows how this idea of self-sacrifice was spreading.  

Come and study with me, videos, etexts, and study guides,https://www.udemy.com/user/kenneymencher/