1780
unspecified
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
A Dancing Young Woman as Terpsichore is a 1780 unspecified by Angelica Kauffmann, a Rococo painting work, held at Cleveland Museum of Art.
You see a young woman in a flowing white dress, mid-dance, holding a lyre. She’s surrounded by soft, warm light, with a simple landscape behind her. This painting shows Terpsichore, the Greek muse of dance. Kauffmann painted it when ancient Roman art was being dug up, and everyone wanted that classical look. She was one of the few women artists at the time who got respect in a field mostly run by men. If you like this, check out other works by Angelica Kauffmann (Swiss, 1741–1807).
This dancing figure was inspired by recently excavated wall paintings from the ancient Roman town of Herculaneum, during a period when neoclassical style was fashionable. Angelica Kauffmann was among the most important painters of the 1800s, achieving success for portraits and history subjects—a category dominated by men. Highly educated, Kauffmann was also an accomplished musician who had struggled to choose between a career in fine art or music.
In 1768, Kauffmann was a founder member of the Royal Academy of Arts, which didn’t admit another woman as a full academician until 1936.
Read the full account in the museum source.
Maria Anna Angelika Kauffmann, usually known in English as Angelica Kauffman, was a Swiss painter who had a successful career in London and Rome.
See the richer artist pageYour cart is empty
Explore artworks →
