DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.66024#0055
EARLY LIFE
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them appear to have resented Angelica’s leaving Italy, where they were sure
her paintings had been appreciated. They confessed she would obtain far
higher prices in England for her paintings, but they did not believe that her
work would be properly appreciated or accepted in that country.
Be all that as it may, Angelica left Venice with Lady Wentworth and
arrived in Charles Street, Berkeley Square, according to one statement, on the
22nd of June, 1766, but according to another, in the previous year, 1765.
She was then either twenty-four or twenty-five years old.
The first picture she exhibited in London was certainly shown at the
Exhibition held by the Free Society of Artists in 1765, but it does not follow
that Angelica was actually in London at that time; in fact, the catalogue
expressly speaks of the picture as exhibited by “ Miss Angelica Kaffmann at
Rome.” It was No. 217 in the catalogue, and was exhibited at Mr. Moreing’s
great room in Maiden Lane, Covent Garden. It is simply spoken of as “ The
Portrait of a Gentleman,” but a note on one copy of the catalogue declares
that it represented David Garrick. It has been said that Angelica could not
possibly have seen Garrick at that time, and that therefore her portrait of him
must have been a copy from some other work, perhaps even of an engraving;
but, in 1763, Garrick had visited the principal towns in Italy, staying a fortnight
in Rome, going on to Naples, where he was very popular with the English
visitors; visiting Parma, where he was entertained by the Grand Duke; staying
for some time in Venice, and then going to Albano, near to Padua, in order
that Mrs. Garrick might make use of the mud baths at that place. Then
Garrick passed on to Munich and to Spa, reaching Paris about October, 1764.
It was, therefore, easily possible that Angelica had seen the great actor, and
it is pretty certain that he sat to her for his portrait, while, knowing how
popular Garrick was in England, she would naturally think it desirable that
the first picture she should exhibit in this country should be her portrait of
its greatest actor. Very possibly it was not a successful portrait, because
Garrick’s countenance was a difficult one to portray, and it needed a far more
experienced painter than was this young girl, however clever she might then
have been, to do anything like adequate justice to his countenance.
In Fitzgerald’s Life of Garrick, we find four lines of rhyme, addressed by
the actor to Angelica. The author of the book says that the reference has been
taken from the Hill MSS., and that the lines were addressed by Garrick to
Angelica, when he was sitting to her for his portrait, and run thus :—
“ While thus you paint with ease and grace,
And spirit all your own,
Take, if you please, my mind and face,
But let my heart alone.”
This gives us the required evidence that Angelica did paint Garrick’s
portrait, and also shows that he himself does not appear to have been dissatis-
fied with the result. It also implies some flirtation on the part of Angelica.
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them appear to have resented Angelica’s leaving Italy, where they were sure
her paintings had been appreciated. They confessed she would obtain far
higher prices in England for her paintings, but they did not believe that her
work would be properly appreciated or accepted in that country.
Be all that as it may, Angelica left Venice with Lady Wentworth and
arrived in Charles Street, Berkeley Square, according to one statement, on the
22nd of June, 1766, but according to another, in the previous year, 1765.
She was then either twenty-four or twenty-five years old.
The first picture she exhibited in London was certainly shown at the
Exhibition held by the Free Society of Artists in 1765, but it does not follow
that Angelica was actually in London at that time; in fact, the catalogue
expressly speaks of the picture as exhibited by “ Miss Angelica Kaffmann at
Rome.” It was No. 217 in the catalogue, and was exhibited at Mr. Moreing’s
great room in Maiden Lane, Covent Garden. It is simply spoken of as “ The
Portrait of a Gentleman,” but a note on one copy of the catalogue declares
that it represented David Garrick. It has been said that Angelica could not
possibly have seen Garrick at that time, and that therefore her portrait of him
must have been a copy from some other work, perhaps even of an engraving;
but, in 1763, Garrick had visited the principal towns in Italy, staying a fortnight
in Rome, going on to Naples, where he was very popular with the English
visitors; visiting Parma, where he was entertained by the Grand Duke; staying
for some time in Venice, and then going to Albano, near to Padua, in order
that Mrs. Garrick might make use of the mud baths at that place. Then
Garrick passed on to Munich and to Spa, reaching Paris about October, 1764.
It was, therefore, easily possible that Angelica had seen the great actor, and
it is pretty certain that he sat to her for his portrait, while, knowing how
popular Garrick was in England, she would naturally think it desirable that
the first picture she should exhibit in this country should be her portrait of
its greatest actor. Very possibly it was not a successful portrait, because
Garrick’s countenance was a difficult one to portray, and it needed a far more
experienced painter than was this young girl, however clever she might then
have been, to do anything like adequate justice to his countenance.
In Fitzgerald’s Life of Garrick, we find four lines of rhyme, addressed by
the actor to Angelica. The author of the book says that the reference has been
taken from the Hill MSS., and that the lines were addressed by Garrick to
Angelica, when he was sitting to her for his portrait, and run thus :—
“ While thus you paint with ease and grace,
And spirit all your own,
Take, if you please, my mind and face,
But let my heart alone.”
This gives us the required evidence that Angelica did paint Garrick’s
portrait, and also shows that he himself does not appear to have been dissatis-
fied with the result. It also implies some flirtation on the part of Angelica.