KAUFFMAN, kowf'man, Marie Aug& lique Catherine, commonly known as AN GELICA KAUFFMAN, Swiss painter: b. Coire, Switzerland, 20 Oct. 1741; d. Rome, 5 Nov. 1807. She was the pupil of her father, John Joseph Kauffman, a painter of little note. Her first work of importance was a portrait of the Duke of Modena and his duchess. She then collaborated with her father in the decoration of the parish church and castle of Schwarzen burg, his birthplace, painting many portraits in the meantime. Going to Florence, she was hindered in her artistic career by her passion ate devotion to music and but in 1763 finally abandoned all other pursuits for that of painting. She fell under the influence of Winckelmann at Rome, and produced the 'Mother of the Gracchi.' She also did some work in co-operation with the Venetian land scape painter Zucchi, whom she subsequently married. It was at this point in her life that she developed the particular sentimental syle of her paintings as seen in 'Anna and Abra'; and 'Samma at the Grave of Bennoni,' which created a furore. In London (1765) she be came a favorite with court and aristocracy, and acquired great wealth and honor; she was made member of the Royal Academy and was thought to have inspired Sir Joshua Reynolds with tender feelings. She was, however, un fortunate in marrying a Swede who called him self Count Horn, from whom she was later divorced. She eventually married Zucchi and settled in Rome (1781), where her house be came a rendezvous for scholars and artists, the most famous of whom was Goethe, who has left us a remarkable characterization of her art. While her tenderness borders on mawkish
ness and her designs are monotonous, her Im aginative figures have an elevated charm which was not without its influence in circles where George Morland was typical of English art. Her personality cast a reflection which en hanced the impression which her pictures made on her contemporaries, and the 'Miss Angel' of Mrs. Thackeray Ritchie exhibits with tact and fidelity this interpretation of her somewhat remarkable career. Other works by her are 'Psyche Drying Cupid's Tears' ; 'Death of Leonardo da Vinci) (1781); Tullius as a Child' (1784) ; 'Abelard and Heloise); 'Hermitage, St. Petersburg); 'The Vestal Virgin> (Dresden Gallery) ; 'Christ and the Woman of Samaria' ; 'Virtue, Prudence and Folly' (Philadelphia, Pa.). There are over 200 of her original drawings in the British Mu seum. The best of her portraits are those of Mengs and Lady Hamilton in Kensington Mu seum, and of herself in the Berlin Museum, the National Gallery, London, and the Munich and Uffizi galleries. Consult De Rossi, 'Vita di Angelica Kauffmann' (Florence 1810); Dohme, 'Kunst und Kiinstler' (Leipzig 181n ; Engels, 'Angelika Kauffman& (Bielefeld 1892); Gerard, 'Angelica Kauffmann> (London 1893) ; 'Schram, 'Die Malerin Angelika Kauff man& (Briinn 1890), and 'Angelica Kauff man,' in Illustrirte Zeitung (Leipzig, June 1903).