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A Dancing Young Woman as Terpsichore
About the Artwork
This dancing figure was inspired by recently excavated wall paintings from the ancient Roman town of Herculaneum, during a period when neoclassical style was fashionable. Angelica Kauffmann was among the most important painters of the 1800s, achieving success for portraits and history subjects—a category dominated by men. Highly educated, Kauffmann was also an accomplished musician who had struggled to choose between a career in fine art or music.
Quick Overview
- Artist
- Angelica Kauffmann (Swiss, 1741–1807)
- Date
- c. 1780
- Medium
- oil on canvas
- Dimensions
- Overall: 91.5 x 70.8 cm (36 x 27 7/8 in.)
- Type
- Painting
- Classification
- Painting
- Department
- European Painting and Sculpture
- Credit line
- Mr. and Mrs. William H. Marlatt Fund
- Accession no.
- 2025.3
Provenance
c. 1780: Sir Edward Littleton, 4th Bt. (c. 1727–1812), Teddesley Hall, Staffordshire 1812–1863: Edward John Wallhouse Littleton (1791–1863), crated Baron Hatherton in 1835 1863–1888: Edward Richard Littleton, 2nd Baron Hatherton (1815–1888) 1888–1930: Edward George Percy Littleton, 3rd Baron Hatherton (1842–1930) 1930–1944: Edward Charles Littleton, 4th Baron Hatherton (1868–1944) 1944–1969: Edward Thomas Walhouse Littleton, 5th Baron Hatherton (1900–1969) 1969–2024: By Descent 2024: Lowell Libson & Jonny Yarker Ltd, London 2025–: The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH
More by Angelica Kauffmann in museum collections
Edward Smith Stanley (1752–1834), Twelfth Earl of Derby, Elizabeth, Countess of Derby (Lady Elizabeth Hamilton, 1753–1797), and Their Son (Edward Smith Stanley, 1775–1851)
Angelica Kauffmannca. 1776 · Painting
Data retrieved from the Cleveland Museum of Art on October 8, 2026. The museum may have updated its record since.
Open-access museum record · AT-00009945
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