Vergil liest Augustus und Octavia die Aeneis vor c. 1788

Angelica Kauffmann created this drawing, “Vergil liest Augustus und Octavia die Aeneis vor,” a work currently held in the Städel Museum. Here, the figures are rendered in a delicate dance of lines, creating a scene charged with emotion, yet restrained by its formal composition. Kauffmann orchestrates a visual experience rooted in classical ideals. The carefully sketched lines define the contours and drapery, while the monochrome palette focuses our attention on the figures' poses and expressions. The composition directs our gaze towards the center, where the figures of Augustus and Octavia react. But it’s more than just storytelling. Kauffmann uses classical themes to engage with contemporary ideas about virtue, leadership, and emotional expression. The drawing uses a semiotic system of gestures and poses that would have been immediately recognizable, such as the stoic philosopher or the suffering mother, to convey complex emotional and moral concepts. The drawing remains open to reinterpretation. Its power lies in the balance between formal restraint and emotional depth.