Angelica and Élisabeth: The Age of Women Painters
Two great artists, two extraordinary personalities and a story of talent, independence and female emancipation.
From 6 November 2026 to 7 March 2027, Gallerie d’Italia – Napoli presents Angelica and Élisabeth: The Age of Women Painters, an exhibition dedicated to Angelica Kauffmann and Élisabeth Louise Vigée Le Brun, two leading figures in European painting during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.
Through paintings, portraits and self-portraits, the exhibition brings together the lives, works and careers of the two artists in a comparative exploration for the first time. Both succeeded in establishing themselves in a predominantly male art world, gaining recognition at Europe's most prestigious courts and academies.
Particular attention is devoted to their connections with Italy and Naples, exploring the Bourbon court, the Grand Tour and the cultural movements that shaped the period.
Spanning the Enlightenment, Neoclassicism and the French Revolution, the exhibition invites visitors to rediscover two remarkable women who helped redefine the role of artists in society and write a new chapter in art history.
USEFUL INFORMATION
- Dates: 6 November 2026 – 7 March 2027
- Venue: Gallerie d’Italia – Napoli, Via Toledo 177
- Discover the exhibition, related events and visitor information on the official Gallerie d’Italia website.
Cover banner image credits
_ Angelica Kauffmann, Self-Portrait as the Muse of Painting (detail), 1787. Florence, Uffizi Galleries. Photograph: Roberto Palermo – Claudio Ripalti (courtesy of the Italian Ministry of Culture).
_ Élisabeth Louise Vigée Le Brun, Self-Portrait (detail), 1789. Florence, Uffizi Galleries. Photograph: Roberto Palermo – Claudio Ripalti (courtesy of the Italian Ministry of Culture).
