Punishment of Cupid

Punishment of Cupid by Angelica Kauffmann depicts the chastisement of the god of love, a subject from classical mythology that allowed the neoclassical painter to combine decorative charm with moral allegory. Kauffmann, one of only two female founding members of the Royal Academy, specialized in mythological and historical subjects at a time when women were largely excluded from such ambitious genres. Neoclassicism (c.1760-1830) revived the austere virtues of ancient Greece and Rome in reaction to Rococo frivolity.

Kauffmann’s elegant neoclassical style renders the mythological figures with graceful, refined drawing. Soft coloring and delicate handling distinguish her approach from the more muscular classicism of her male contemporaries.