Diana and her nymphs bathing

Swiss-born Kauffmann built a reputation across Europe as a portraitist of significant skill, although she preferred to refer to herself as a history painter. In 1768 she became one of only two female founding members of the Royal Academy and was subsequently commissioned to paint four works for the ceiling of the Academy, at that time located at Somerset House. These works were later relocated to the ceiling of Burlington House, which has been the home of the Academy since 1868.

This tondo, or circular painting, exemplifies Kauffmann’s elegant neoclassical style. Seated in the centre is Diana, the Greek goddess of hunting, attended by her nymphs as she bathes in the pool. Kauffmann painted many scenes from Greek mythology and the tondo shape was a particular favourite of the artist for her smaller-scale classical works. In these tondo, Kauffmann demonstrates her masterful skills in composition, creating exquisite vignettes from larger historical or mythological stories. Diana and her nymphs bathing reveals Kauffmann’s delicate feminine aesthetic, with her use of soft drapery and muted colour tones and her sensitive representation of the female form.

Tansy Curtin, Curator, International Art pre-1980