EXHIBITION OF ONE PAINTING PAINTINGS FROM THE DRESDEN STATE ART COLLECTIONS AND THE HAMBURGER KUNSTHALLE Ariadne Abandoned by Theseus, Angelika Kauffmann, 1 May — 30 July 2017, Dresden State Art Collections Portrait of a Patrician Family, Abraham van den Tempel, 4 August — 30 November 2017, Hamburger Kunsthalle ARIADNE ABANDONED BY THESEUS BY ANGELIKA KAUFFMANN Angelika Kauffmann—one of the most revered artists of the second half of the eighteenth century, famous for her portraits and historical scenes—repeatedly painted motifs taken from the tale of the mythological heroine Ariadne. Roland Enke The most dramatic depiction is the painting Ariadne Abandoned by Theseus from the col- lections of the Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister in Dresden (Fig. 1), which is currently on loan to the Royal Łazienki Museum, where, together with the Portrait of Princess Giuliana Pubblicola Santacroce as Lucretia, also by Kauffmann, it forms an excel- lent dual discourse on the role of women—both as artist and as the person portrayed. Born in Switzerland, Angelika Kauffmann strove to be a skilled artist from an early age—in Eng- land she was known as Angelika Kauffmann. In 1764, at the age of 23, she painted one of her earliest mythological scenes, which immediately gained recognition among connoisseurs of history painting. As stated in the first biography of the artist—written in her lifetime—‘she began … to compose and paint historical and mythological 1. Ariadne Abandoned by Theseus subjects in which she shows she was well read, Angelika Kauffmann, before 1782, had a noble mind and charming taste.’ Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden, Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister 4 5 At this point, it is worth recalling the story of cameo; her image is reduced to gestures and her as in the Sleeping Ariadne in the Vatican collec- satory symbol of humanity’s lack of compassion. Ariadne which so inspired Angelika Kauffmann facial expression. She reflects the horror-struck tions—a sixteenth-century sculpture which is Kauffmann often took up the subject of female and many other artists: when Theseus returns emotion described in Catullus’ poem: a copy of a Greek statue showing her in a recum- grief and abandonment in her work—as in her to Crete, to kill the Minotaur, the king’s daughter, bent pose. This sculpture was the inspiration for depictions of Penelope, Calypso and ‘The Insane Ariadne, falls in love with him. She helps Theseus The Minoan girl, at seaweed’s edge, stares far, many early modern works of art and was very Maria’ (inspired by Laurence Sterne’s Sentimental to escape from the Labyrinth (the Minotaur’s far out at him popular in the eighteenth century, hence the Journey)—which perhaps could also be under- lair) by giving him a ball of thread to unroll as he with suffering eyes. Like a Bacchante’s stone statue plaster cast in the collection of Anton Raphael stood as the artist helping viewers to deal with penetrates deeper into the Labyrinth, thus helping she stares out— Mengs (Fig. 2), now in the Dresden collections. their own pain and adversities. him find his way back to the entrance after he had how sad!—and she swirls in great billows of hurt: The characteristic ‘Ariadne motif’—showing a fig- slayed the half-bull, half-human creature. Theseus blond hair not in place under delicate scarf, ure with her legs crossed at the ankles, one arm and Ariadne flee to the island of Naxos, where he bosom not covered by thin outer dress, pillowed under her head, and the other thrown promises to marry her. However, he abandons the over her head (a sign of sleep)—accentuates her sleeping Ariadne and returns to Athens alone. milk-white breasts not bound under smooth in- undeserved suffering. In her painting, Angelika Kauffmann depicts the ner dress. In the Dresden picture, Kauffmann perpetuated moment when Ariadne awakens and, in despair, All cloth, from her whole body fallen… the most hopeless moment in the story—she realizes the treachery of her beloved Theseus. (Catullus 64, Trans. Thomas Banks, www.stoa.org/diotima) captured the despair of a woman, whose pain Although the mythological story has a happy end- nothing or no one can alleviate. In love—but ing (Ariadne eventually marries Dionysus), this is Ariadne has been present in literature and the fine abandoned—Ariadne appears to be a victim of evidently not the subject of the work in question. arts for thousands of years. Over time, her outward her own intense feelings, and becomes an accu- The poets Catullus and Ovid paid particular appearance has remained almost unchanged— attention to the heroine’s suffering and disap- both in antiquity and even since the Renaissance, pointment—an aspect which also fascinated she has usually been depicted wearing a chiton Kauffmann. Her Ariadne sits on a rocky shore, bound under her breast, or with a cloak or drapery gazing out over the open sea, where Theseus’ covering her body and legs. Her hair is either unattainable ship can be seen receding into the held up with a scarf, a wreath made of leaves, distance. She is wearing a white dress and a green or a crown of stars alluding to her constellation. cloak interwoven with gold, her legs are covered Ariadne—despite her gestures and the suffering with subdued red drapery. Her hair is braided with reflected in her expression—was usually depicted a white scarf, with a few loose tendrils blowing in as a woman emanating eroticism and sensuality, the wind, while her bared breast and arms, raised up pathetically, emphasize her profound emotion. Even Cupid is helpless, his bow is lying at his feet while he rubs his tear-filled eyes with both hands. Kauffmann illustrates the dramatic event with bold brushstrokes, varying the tones on the sur- face. Ariadne’s wind-blown hair and impulsive- ly stretched out arms, posed theatrically, were part of Kauffmann’s repertoire used for depicting profound displays of emotion in her heroines. Ariadne’s antique-like profile resembles a Roman 2. Miniature replica of the Sleeping Ariadne in the Vatican collections 18th c., Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden, Skulpturensammlung 6 7 3. Portrait of Esther Charlotte Brandes as Ariadne 1781, Heinrich Sintzenich after Anton Graff, Gleimhaus Halberstadt In eighteenth-century theory of art, women were in this case, it is not an expression of despair but attributed a passive role. In 1766 the eminent the pose of an actress performing a role. German art historian and archaeologist, Johann These portraits istoriées were an important area Joachim Winckelmann in his Versuch einer Allegorie of Kauffmann’s activity. This type of portrait, de- (Attempt at an Allegory) wrote: ‘Das Geschlecht picting people wearing stylized costumes and zeuget von einer Betrachtung der wirkenden und visualizing the sitter’s mood or spiritual state of leidenden Beschaffenheit, und zugleich des Mit- mind, was popular at that time, particularly in theilens und des Empfangens, welches man sich England. These portraits were often based on verhältnisweise in den Dingen vorgestellet, so accepted prototypes, using well-known gestures dass das Wirkende in männlicher Gestalt und and popular depictions of the subject. In Germany das Leidende weiblich eingekleidet worden’ this type of portraiture only became popular in the (J. J. Winckelmann, Versuch einer Allegorie, Dresden second half of the eighteenth century, although it 1766, p. 3)‚ pointing out that gender is a reflection never became as fashionable as it was in England. of two aspects of human nature—activity and Kauffmann was not directly involved in this transfer suffering—and that this first aspect takes on of ideas, but her portraits istoriées and portraits of a male form, while the second takes a female form. actors had an impact on viewers through prints, In the age of Sentimentalism, it was recognized which were widely distributed. The portrait of that women could be creative artistically and some the actress Esther Charlotte Brandes as Ariadne of them—like Angelika Kauffmann—became on Naxos is a good example of such inspiration important figures in the world of art. However, (Fig. 3); it was painted in 1775 by Anton Graff, there was still the stereotypical view that emotions principal painter to the court in Dresden, who, like were feminine per se and that the female body Kauffmann, was also of Swiss origin. Graff’s work was seen as a vessel, and was an embodiment of is considered to be the first example of a German nature, truth, simplicity, naivety and pure feelings. portrait istoriée. The painting shows the sitter The answer to the question as to why Theseus left in a dramatic pose. However, is not of the same Ariadne has been sought by all who have taken calibre as Kauffmann’s violent and tragic painting, up this subject. In his Heroides, fictional letters although it can be said that both works of art addressed by aggrieved heroines of mythology to are further proof of the power of the tale of the their lovers, Ovid showed—unlike the majority of mythical Ariadne and its dominance in the fine authors and artists—the heroes shameful flight arts, literature, theatre and music of the eight- and lust for power (X, 125—130). His interpretation eenth century. sparked great interest in the seventeenth and Many of Kauffmann’s works painted between 1764 eighteenth centuries, especially in operas and plays. and 1794, allude to the tale of Ariadne in various In Angelika Kauffmann’s palazzo in Rome— ways. Perhaps a source of her fascination with which the German philosopher and writer this subject were the murals in Herculaneum near Johann Gottfried Herder called ‘a true temple of the Naples, discovered in the eighteenth century and muses’—there hung a portrait of the actress Te- published in Le pitture antiche d’Ercolano, which resa Bandettini-Landucci, a friend of Kauffmann’s, captured the imagination of the people of that painted in 1794.