Lesendes Mädchen

1768

Two pictures at the Society of Artists exhibition

In 1768, at the exhibition of the Society of Artists in London, Kauffman showed “Hector Taking Leave of Andromache” and “Penelope Taking Down the Bow of Odysseus”.

1768

Founding member of the Royal Academy of Arts

In December 1768 Kauffman became one of the founding members of the Royal Academy of Arts in London, one of only two women among them.

1769

Three pictures at the Royal Academy exhibition

At the Academy’s exhibition of 1769 Kauffman showed “Hector Taking Leave of Andromache”, “Venus Directing Aeneas and Achates to Carthage” and “Achilles Discovered by Ulysses among the Daughters of Lycomedes”; all three were bought by the patroness Theresa Parker.

1769–1782

An annual exhibitor at the Royal Academy

From 1769 until 1782 Kauffman exhibited at the Royal Academy every year, sometimes sending as many as seven pictures, generally on classical or allegorical subjects.

1770s

Engravers reproduce her pictures

At the same time Kauffman began to work with engravers who copied her pictures for wide distribution, and she became a commercially successful artist.

1771

Several months in Ireland

In 1771 Kauffman spent several months in Ireland as a guest of the Lord Lieutenant, Viscount Townshend, and carried out a number of portrait commissions there; her Irish sitters included Philip Tisdall, the Attorney General for Ireland, and his wife Mary, who became her patron, and Henry Loftus, 1st Earl of Ely, with his family.