Calypso Contemplating the Departure of Ulysses, Angelica Kauffman

Women abandoned by men in ancient Greek mythology, such as the island nymph Calypso, were a popular subject for Angelica Kauffmann’s paintings. Her innovative depictions of femininity and female agency focus on the thoughts, emotions, and power of female protagonists. These often generic representations can be understood in some ways as a self-portrait of the highly accomplished artist, conveying her resilience and ability to realize her professional ambitions in a male-dominated field.

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In the ancient Greek epic poem The Odyssey attributed to Homer (eighth century BCE), the hero Odysseus (Latin name Ulysses) seeks to return to his kingdom of Ithaka following the Trojan War. On the way, he shipwrecks on the island of Ogygia, the home of the nymph Calypso, who falls in love with him. She promises him eternal youth and immortality if he remains with her. After seven years together, he abandons her and resumes his travels to return to his wife Penelope, a figure that Angelica Kauffmann also painted. Kauffmann’s portrayals of Calypso and Penelope feature among her most popular works and connect to themes about female loyalty, loss, and fortitude.