Angelica Kauffman RA was one of the most celebrated artists of the 18th century. In this major exhibition designed by EBBA, the show traces her trajectory from child prodigy to one of Europe’s most sought-after painters.

Known for her celebrity portraits and pioneering history paintings, Angelica Kauffman helped to shape the direction of European art. She painted some of the most influential figures of her day – queens, countesses, actors and socialites – and she reinvented the genre of history painting by focusing largely on female protagonists from classical history and mythology.

The simple execution of the show picks up on the details from the interiors of Somerset House, the original home to her ceiling paintings that now reside in the ground floor of the Royal Academy.

A simple yet elegant set of objects were designed that would help to showcase smaller elements within the gallery, giving equal importance to the works. Detailing in the displays picks up on the fluting found in the ornate spaces in which the original paintings used to hang.