Angelica Kauffman was one of the founding members of the Royal Academy of Arts in London. Alongside her friend Joshua Reynolds, Kauffman forged a highly successful career and achieved international renown – not only as a sought-after portrait painter but also as a committed history painter.

Why then, did fellow Royal Academician Johan Zoffany, remove Kauffman from his famous painting the “Academicians of the Royal Academy”, three years after foundation of the institution? Instead, she and her fellow female academician Mary Moser, are depicted as busts, shown in the background. Objects of male contemplation. Demoted so drastically that the short flame of hope at their election was lmost immediately snuffed out.

In this concluding talk we’ll spotlight Angelica’s incredibly successful career. But also – importantly - look again to the wrongs of art history.