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L'Allegra

Print
1779 (Made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Who was Angelica Kauffman? (1741 –1807)
Born in Switzerland, made prints in Italy and England
Printmaking activity: 1760 –1781
Angelica Kauffman had an extremely successful career as a painter. She began making etchings in Italy in the 1760s, under the tutelage of her friend, Johann Reiffenstein. In Italy, Kauffman made etchings after the Old Masters, but she also created portraits of patrons and artist friends. When Kauffman moved to England in 1766, she took advantage of London’s booming print market to sell her impressions. Her engagement with the medium intensified, and her etchings developed in their stylistic competence and their imaginative subject matter.

Object details

Category
Object type
TitleL'Allegra (generic title)
Materials and techniques
Etching with aquatint, ink on paper.
Brief description
'L'Allegra', etching and aquatint by Angelica Kauffman, London, 1779.
Physical description
Print showing seated woman playing a triangle surrounded by instruments.
Dimensions
  • Length: 27.5cm (Note: Plate mark)
  • Width: 20.2cm (Note: Plate mark)
Gallery label
(2022)
The source from which Kauffman drew her inspiration for these two pendant etchings was John Milton’s (1608 – 74) popular companion poems, L’Allegro and La Penseroso. However, instead of depicting Milton’s ‘happy man’ and ‘melancholy man’, Kauffman has instead personified these poetical figures as women.
Summary
Who was Angelica Kauffman? (1741 –1807)
Born in Switzerland, made prints in Italy and England
Printmaking activity: 1760 –1781
Angelica Kauffman had an extremely successful career as a painter. She began making etchings in Italy in the 1760s, under the tutelage of her friend, Johann Reiffenstein. In Italy, Kauffman made etchings after the Old Masters, but she also created portraits of patrons and artist friends. When Kauffman moved to England in 1766, she took advantage of London’s booming print market to sell her impressions. Her engagement with the medium intensified, and her etchings developed in their stylistic competence and their imaginative subject matter.
Collection
Accession number
29513A

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Record createdJune 30, 2009
Record URL
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