The Sorrow of Telemachus

Art Historical Context

Angelica Kauffman’s *The Sorrow of Telemachus*1783), an oil on canvas measuring 32¾ x 45 inches, captures a poignant moment from Homer’s *Odyssey*. The scene evokes deep sadness through the figures of Telemachus, son of Odysseus, alongside the nymph Calypso and her attendants. This mythological narrative highlights themes of longing and separation, as Telemachus grapples with his father’s prolonged absence, set against the enchanting yet isolating world of Calypso’s. Kauffman, a leading Neoclassical artist of the late 18th century, was a rare female pioneer in the field, co-founding London’s Royal Academy and excelling in history paintings inspired by classical antiquity. Her style features elegant compositions, soft lighting, and idealized figures that blend emotional depth with restrained grandeur—hallmarks of Neoclassicism’s revival of Greek and Roman ideals. The oil medium allows her luminous palette and fluid drapery to convey both tenderness and melancholy. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s European Paintings department through the 1900 bequest of Collis P. Huntington, this work exemplifies Kauffman’s skill in humanizing epic myths, inviting viewers to reflect on universal sorrows amid divine beauty. A testament to women’s contributions to grand art, it remains a gem for mythology enthusiasts.

About the Artist

Angelica Kauffmann · 1741–1807

Swiss painter and etcher, and one of the few women artists of the time working in the Neo-Classical style to specialize in both portraits and subject pictures. Her famous sitters include the family of George III in Britain, Grand-Duke Paul and Prince Nikolay Yusupov in Russia, Stanislav II Poniatowski and Stanislav Kostka Potocki in Poland, Queen Caroline of Naples and Emperor Joseph II of Austria...