Born in Switzerland in 1741, and later based between England and Italy, Angelica Kauffman was one of the most popular portraitists of 18th-century Europe. Mentioned in the important 1971 essay by art historian Linda Nochlin—“Why Have There Been No Great Women Artists?”—Kauffman remains little known today. Once described by the philosopher Johann Gottfried Herder as “possibly the most cultivated woman in Europe,” Kauffman painted aristocrats and historical scenes, often focusing on female characters from history and mythology. A founding member of London’s Royal Academy, she spent the end of her career in Rome, where her studio was part of the city’s cultural life. Featuring Kauffman’s self-portraits, paintings of Circe and Cleopatra, and drawn sketches, this exhibition celebrates the Neoclassical artist’s life and work. —Jeanne Malle