Angelica Kauffman was a Swiss born Neoclassical painter. She is known for her historical paintings, as well as for helping to develop the British Royal Academy, alongside Sir Joshua Reynolds.  One of her most popular pieces is Cornelia, Mother of the Gracchi, Pointing to Her Children as Her Treasures, circa 1785.

I was immediately drawn to this work because of the title. As a mother, myself, I found the concept to be relatable. My daughter is my most beloved treasure. She is incomparable to all material things. After seeing the image I found it to be aesthetically pleasing, as well. I appreciate the gracefulness of the painter’s style, as well as the painting’s symbolic meaning.

The woman in red is showing Cornelia (the woman in white) all of the material possessions that she has accumulated from her husband’s worldly travels. After the woman in red finishes boasting about her worldly possessions she questions Cornelia on what treasures she might hold. Cornelia responds by beckoning her three children and exclaiming that they are her most beloved treasures. Her response draws attention to the woman in red’s foolish ideals of vanity and materialism.

The colors within this piece are used symbolically. Cornelia is shown in white, symbolizing purity. The red dress depicts a feeling of passion. The little girl is adorned in pink, a color in between red and white. She is still innocent and pure, but her age causes her infatuation with shiny things. She is still too young to develop a wisdom that has value beyond material possessions.

Cornelia and her children were historical Roman figures. She was a widow who lived to train and educate her children and was thought of very highly, as a wise and noble matron. Therefore, she had many suitors, but refused to marry because she enjoyed the freedom of watching over her children. She trained her children to be moral and righteous, and to develop a great love for their country. She became known as, “The mother of the Gracchi” because her boys grew to be honored by their country, in which they sought to serve. Her daughter, not to be forgotten, married a man of great stature, the younger Scipio of Scipio Africanus.

This painting is of historical value. Which compliments the ideals of the Neoclassical style. The Neoclassical style developed as a result of the rise of the middle class. The behavior and taste of the royal classes, as well as the Rococo style of art appalled the middle class. The Rococo style embodied the moral decline of French leadership. Neoclassical art was a trend that expressed an anti Rococo style. By the mid 1700s art critics were publically stating the lack of art history paintings. Therefore, historical/Neoclassical paintings held a broader popular appeal.

Work Cited:

http://uncgartgrads.blogspot.com/2008/04/cornelia-mother-of-gracchi-pointing-to.html

http://uncgartgrads.blogspot.com/2008/04/cornelia-mother-of-gracchi-pointing-to.html