Women in the fine arts, from the Seventh Century B.C. to the Twentieth Century A.D.Waters, Clara Erskine Clement
History
Women in the fine arts, from the Seventh Century B.C. to the Twentieth Century A.D.
Waters, Clara Erskine Clement
Women artists -- Biography
Her Majesty, who loved Angelica, expressed her surprise and interest and
desired that Count de Horn should appear at Court. By this means the
deceit which had been practised was discovered, and the Queen, as gently
as possible, told Angelica the truth. At first she felt that though her
husband was not the Count de Horn and had grossly deceived her, he was
the man she had married and the vows she had made were binding. But it
was soon discovered that the villain had a living wife when he made his
pretended marriage with Angelica, who was thus released from any
consideration for him. This was a time to prove the sincerity of friends,
and Angelica was comforted by the steadfastness of those who had devoted
themselves to her in her happier days. Sir Joshua Reynolds was untiring
in his friendly offices for her and for her helpless old father.
There were as many differing opinions in regard to Angelica Kauffman, the
woman, as in regard to the quality of her art. Some of her biographers
believed her to be perfectly sincere and uninfluenced by flattery.
Nollekens takes another view; he calls her a coquette, and, among other
stories, relates that when in Rome, "one evening she took her station in
one of the most conspicuous boxes in the theatre, accompanied by two
artists, both of whom, as well as many others, were desperately enamoured
of her. She had her place between her two adorers, and while her arms
were folded before her in front of the box, over which she leaned, she
managed to clasp a hand of both, so that each imagined himself the
cavalier of her choice."
When Angelica could rise above the unhappiness and mortification of her
infatuation for the so-called De Horn, she devoted herself to her art,
and during twelve years supported her father and herself and strengthened
the friendships she had gained in her adopted land. At length, in 1781,
her father's failing health demanded their return to Italy; and now, when
forty years old, she married Antonio Zucchi, an artist who had long loved
her and devoted himself to her and to her father with untiring affection.
The old Kauffman lived to visit his home in Schwarzenburg and to reach
Southern Italy, but died soon after.
Signor Zucchi made his home in Rome. He was a member of the Royal
Academy, London, and was in full sympathy with his wife in intellectual
and artistic pursuits and pleasures. De Rossi says: "It was interesting
to see Angelica and her husband before a picture. While Zucchi spoke with
enthusiasm Angelica remained silent, fixing her eloquent glance on the
finest portions of the work. In her countenance one could read her
emotions, while her observations were limited to a few brief words.
These, however, seldom expressed any blame--only the praises of that
which was worthy of praise. It belonged to her nature to recognize the
beauty alone--as the bee draws honey only out of every flower."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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