Rinaldo and Armida c. 1762 - 1779

Curator: This print is titled "Rinaldo and Armida" by Angelica Kauffmann, created sometime between 1762 and 1779. It’s an engraving that portrays a scene of romance and enchantment. Editor: My initial impression is one of dreamy melancholy. The figures are so tenderly entwined within this incredibly detailed forest, but the monochromatic palette and dense foliage create this pervasive sense of being watched or trapped, somehow. Curator: That feeling certainly connects to the historical context. Kauffmann was navigating the art world, which was dominated by men, whilst building an enormously successful career for herself. She made shrewd decisions regarding the printmaking of her designs as it was an accessible medium, a business model, enabling wider distribution and generating income as well as enhancing her fame. This print relates to themes prevalent in the late Baroque and early Romanticism – where idyllic love scenes meet darker undertones, possibly highlighting a nuanced commentary on female agency, perhaps? Editor: That rings true. It's funny, looking closer, you see this almost voyeuristic figure peering through the trees in the background – literally watched, a narrative woven into the fibres of the image! I’m also struck by the delicate lines and shading. You can almost feel the softness of the fabrics and the cool earth beneath them, like you want to be there. There’s an intimacy in the presentation, it is as though Kauffmann wants us, the viewer, to connect with Armida. Curator: Absolutely, the detailed lines were typical of engraving, allowing for replication and broader accessibility, aligning Kauffmann's artistry with broader commercial and social dynamics, effectively democratising her storytelling and images for consumption. Editor: Considering Angelica Kauffmann's innovative approach, as well as how printmaking disseminates the message of this image across society... it invites a real appreciation for what is happening here, the labour and business within art. Curator: A poignant synthesis. This print not only captures a tender narrative, but also reveals how social dynamics intersect artistic production and reception, prompting us to consider the intricate connection between art, enterprise and society during a formative era. Editor: Leaving me feeling reflective of a tender interaction that feels anything but with its wider considerations and interpretations. Thank you for unpacking "Rinaldo and Armida", it certainly pulls the heart strings with some interesting societal thoughts and realities.