Born in Switzerland, Angelica Kauffmann became one of the most successful artists of late 18th Century England and Italy, especially noted for history painting and portraiture. In fact, she was the only artist who declined the invitation of Catherine the Great to come to Saint Petersburg to develop the Hermitage collection, the reason being that Kauffmann was too busy with commissions. Historically her accomplishments are quite amazing because she lived at a time when women were not allowed access to professional male models. A testimony to the high regard in which she was held by her contemporaries is that Charles Willson Peale, one of America's most famous artists, named one of his daughters Angelica Kauffman Peale.
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