Both these miniatures are copies after reception pieces submitted by female artists upon their admission to the Accademia di San Luca in Rome, Rosalba Carriera in 1705 and Angelica Kauffmann in 1765. For many academies it was traditional to submit a self-portrait – the collection serving as a record of the institution's illustrious membership. Both images are so idealised that doubts have been raised as to whether they are actually self-portraits at all. Kauffman's has instead been interpreted as an allegorical reference to the young artist's hope for a successful artistic career.

Cat. 106