Euphrosyne complaining to Venus of the Wound caused by Cupid’s Dart
Angelica Kauffman RA (Chur 1741 – Rome 1807)
Category
Art / Oil paintings
Date
1793 (signed and dated) - 1796 (exh at RA)
Materials
Oil on canvas
Measurements
2464 x 1651 mm (97 x 65 in)
Place of origin
Rome
Order this imageCollection
Attingham Park, Shropshire
NT 608951
Summary
Oil painting on canvas, Euphrosyne complaining to Venus of the Wound caused by Cupid’s Dart by Angelica Kauffman (Chur 1741 – Rome 1807), signed and dated: Angelica Kauffmañ Pinx: Romae 1793. Euphrosyne on the left in blue drapery shows Venus, dressed in white and seated on a couch, the wound inflicted by the smiling Cupid. Companion to 'Bacchus and Ariadne' by Angelica Kauffman (NT 608953). The picture was commissioned by Thomas Noel Hill, 2nd Lord Berwick (1770-1832). He was in Rome in 1792-93 with the mineralogist and traveller Edward Clarke (1769-1822), who related that 'Lord Berwick is employing Angelica Kauffmann in painting and I am now selecting passages from the poets for her to paint for his house. The subject is taken from 'Le Grazie Vendicate' (Defence of the Graces) by Metastasio (1698-1782).
Provenance
2nd Lord Berwick collection: Thomas Noel Hill, 2nd Baron Berwick (1770 – 1832); 1913 Inventory p.80; No.60 in 1928 Attingham Picture Catalogue. By descent bequeathed to the National Trust with the estate, house and contents of Attingham by Thomas Henry Noel-Hill, 8th Baron Berwick (1877-1947) on 15th May 1953.
Credit line
Attingham Park, The Berwick Collection (National Trust)
Marks and inscriptions
Angelica Kauffmann Pinxit Romae 1793 (signed and dated on plinth at left)
Makers and roles
Angelica Kauffman RA (Chur 1741 – Rome 1807), artist
References
Jones 2018 Saraid Jones, ‘Angelica Kauffman at Attingham Park', National Trust Historic Houses & Collections Annual, 2018, pp.32-8