Dame in ganzer Figur auf einer Freitreppe 

Angelica Kauffmann made this drawing of a woman on a staircase, most likely in the late 18th century. The informal, unfinished quality of the sketch can tell us a lot about the social conditions of art at that time. It’s useful to remember that, although she was Swiss by birth, Kauffmann spent much of her career in Britain. There, she found success as a portraitist for the wealthy, who were increasingly interested in displaying their taste through supporting the arts. Moreover, as one of only two women to found the Royal Academy, Kauffmann occupied an interesting institutional position. Was she using this sketch to try out ideas for a more finished painting? Was she simply practicing her craft? By looking at letters, diaries, and other archival documents, historians try to learn how the changing institutions of art shaped the lives and works of artists like Kauffmann.