Angelica Kauffmann
- Artist: Angelica Kauffmann
- Date: circa 1770-1775
- Medium: oil on canvas
- Dimensions: 29 in. x 24 in. (737 mm x 610 mm)
- Portrays: Angelica Kauffmann
- Museum: The National Portrait Gallery
- Collection record: The National Portrait Gallery website
Listen to the free audio guide
About this artwork
This is “Angelica Kauffmann.” You can see her standing, arms crossed in a gentle pose, eyes looking straight out at the viewer. In her right hand she holds a portfolio and a ‘porte‑crayon’ that keeps her charcoal pastel ready to draw. The cloth of her dress folds like Renaissance drapery – soft white with delicate gathers – suggesting an old master’s studio rather than contemporary fashion.
The oil on canvas, painted around 1770‑75, shows the artist in warm light; her skin is rendered translucent and her hair spills in loose curls that echo the folds of the garment. The cross‑arms gesture shields her form while still engaging us.
Born in Switzerland, Kauffmann moved to London in 1766, became a founder member of the Royal Academy of Arts in 1768, and worked as a portraitist for kings and nobles. In this self‑portrait she proudly displays her tools, marking her identity first and foremost as an artist.
See it in person
Angelica Kauffmann is in the collection of The National Portrait Gallery at St Martin's Place, London — free to enter. Point your phone at any artwork there and audioguide.london plays a free audio guide in six languages — no app download needed.
