Honorable Anne Damer; From the Original Picture in the Possession of The Right Honorable General Conway

London: S. Watts, 1793. Stiff Wraps. Good. Kauffman, Angelica. Sepia stipple engraved mounted on board. 27.5 x 20 cm. Margins 5 x 4 cm. Sir Joshua Reynolds was one of her staunchest allies. As a woman and history painter, an unusual designation for a woman artist in the 18th century considering history painting was the elite and most lucrative category dominated by men. The genre required extensive learning in biblical and classical literature, a background in which most women were denied access. Engraved by T. Ryder who also maintained and sold prints. Anne Seymor Damer was a sculptor (1748-1828), cousin to Horace Walpole, and encouraged in her craft by David Hume. Right margin stained, bleed through from backing at image center.