Rinaldo and Armida

About this work

This painting shows a knight in armor kneeling before a seated woman. Her hands rest on his helmet like she’s about to lift it off. A small dragon curls around her arm, its wings half-spread. Kauffmann painted this from a famous poem. The knight, Rinaldo, falls for the sorceress Armida. She’s supposed to trap him, but here she looks gentle instead. The dragon adds a twist—is it her helper or a warning? Look at the fine lines in the armor and hair. That’s drypoint, a scratchy print method. Try it yourself next time you’re at the National Gallery of Art, Washington.