Page:Women in the Fine Arts From the Seventh Century B.C. to the Twentiet.djvu/268

 must have been the individuality of the artist—that leads one to entertain a certain fondness for her, even while her shortcomings are fully recognized.

The story of Angelica Kauffman's life is of unusual interest. She was born at Coire, in the Grisons. 1742- 1807. Her father, an artist, had gone from Schwarzenburg to Coire to execute some frescoes in a church, and had married there. When Angelica was a year old the family settled in Morbegno, in Lombardy. Ten years later, when the child had already shown her predilection for painting and music, a new home was made for her in Como, where there were better advantages for her instruction.

Her progress in music was phenomenal, and for a time she loved her two arts — one as well as the other—and could make no choice between them. In one of her pictures she represented herself as a child, standing between allegorical figures of Music and Painting.

The exquisite scenery about Como, the stately palaces, charming villas, the lake with its fairy-like pleasure boats, and the romantic life which there surrounded this girl of so impressionable a nature, rapidly developed the poetic element born with her, which later found expression through her varied talents. During her long life the recollections of the two years she passed at Como were among the most precious memories associated with her wandering girlhood.

From Como she was taken to Milan, where she had still better advantages for study, and a world of art was opened to her which far exceeded her most ardent imaginings.