The Joan Cooper Memorial Lecture – Angelica Kauffman: Celebrated 18th Century Artist and Founding Member of the Royal Academy
The Joan Cooper Memorial Lecture – Angelica Kauffman: Celebrated 18th Century Artist and Founding Member of the Royal Academy
Lecturer: Clare Ford-Wille
Angelica Kauffman was one of the most important artists of the 18th century, described by one of her contemporaries as ‘the most celebrated woman in Europe’. The Royal Academy held a major exhibition of Kauffman’s work in early 2024. London was where she rose to fame, before moving to Rome in later life where her studio became a hub for the city’s cultural life. As well as being well-known for her celebrity portraits, Kauffman revived mythological, as well as history subjects, in a most innovative way, often concentrating on fascinating women such as Circe or Cleopatra.
Clare Ford-Wille has an Honours degree in History of Art from Birkbeck College, London University. Clare’s regular commitments include lecturing at the Centre for Lifelong Learning, London University, the National Gallery, the V&A Museum, WEA, Morley College, the City Literary Institute, the Art Fund and the National Trust. She also leads study tours abroad.