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 home in Rome was a centre of attraction to the artistic and literary
society of the city, and few persons of note passed any time there
without being presented to her. Goethe and Herder were her friends, and
the former wrote: "The good Angelica has a most remarkable, and for a
woman really unheard-of, talent; one must see and value what she does and
not what she leaves undone. There is much to learn from her, particularly
as to work, for what she effects is really marvellous." In his work
called "Winckelmann and His Century," Goethe again said of her: "The
light and pleasing in form and color, in design and execution,
distinguish the numerous works of our artist. _No living painter_ excels
her in dignity or in the delicate taste with which she handles the
pencil."
In the midst of the social demands on her time in Rome, she continued to
devote herself to her art, and Signor Zucchi, hoping to beguile her into
idleness, purchased a charming villa at Castel Gondolfo; but in spite of
its attractions she was never content to be long away from Rome and her
studio.
Thus in her maturer years her life flowed on in a full stream of
prosperity until, in 1795, Signor Zucchi died. Angelica survived him
twelve years--years of deep sadness. Not only was her personal sorrow
heavy to bear, but the French invasion of her beloved Italy disquieted
her. Hoping to regain her usual spirits, she revisited the scenes of her
youth and remained some time in Venice with the family of Signor Zucchi.
Returning to Rome she resumed her accustomed work, so far as her health
permitted.
She held fast to the German spirit through all the changes in her life,
with the same determination which made it possible, in her strenuous
labors, to retain her gentle womanliness. Just before she died she
desired to hear one of Gellert's spiritual odes.
She was buried in Sant' Andrea dei Frati, beside her husband. All the
members of the Academy of St. Luke attended her obsequies, and her latest
pictures were borne in the funeral procession. Her bust was placed in the
Pantheon, and every proper tribute and honor were paid to her memory in
Rome, where she was sincerely mourned.
Although Angelica lived and worked so long in London and was one of the
thirty-six original members of the Royal Academy, I do not think her best
pictures are in the public galleries there. Of course many of the
portraits painted in London are in private collections. Her pictures are
seen in all the important galleries of Europe. Her etchings, executed
with grace and spirit, are much esteemed and sell for large prices.
Engravings after her works by Bartolozzi are most attractive; numerous as
they were, good prints of them are now rare and costly.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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