Invention

Invention from 1779, now in the Royal Academy of Arts, is one of the allegorical figures Kauffmann created for the Royal Academy's ceiling decoration at Somerset House, where the Academy moved in 1780. The personification of Invention — one of the foundational capacities of the artist — reflected the Academy's theoretical commitment to creative imagination as the basis of great art, as opposed to mere technical skill or faithful copying. Kauffmann was one of the Royal Academy's two original female members, and her contribution to the decoration of its new building demonstrated her standing as one of the institution's most distinguished members. The four allegorical figures she provided for the ceiling — Composition, Design, Colour, and Genius, with Invention among the series — were among the most visible works of her London career, permanently installed in the building where the British art world conducted its most important business. The Royal Academy retains this work as part of its institutional heritage, connecting it to the founding period of British academic art and to Kauffmann's unique position as a woman at the center of that enterprise.

The decorative allegory demonstrates Kauffmann's ability to create visually compelling personifications suited to architectural settings. The artist's command of composition and surface quality reflects years of disciplined practice and keen artistic sensibility.