Angelica Kauffmann, 'Achilles discovered among the Daughters of Lycomedes', 1787-8

Achilles, disguised as a woman, stands at the heart of the scene. Dressed in a pink gown with a white ribbon woven fashionably in his golden hair, he wields a sword above his head and holds a shield at his side. On the left, Ulysses points in accusation having just exposed the hero’s identity. Achilles’ wife, Princess Deidamia, falls to her knees in front of him, though whether to protect him or herself is unclear. The poses of the figures are reminiscent of ancient classical sculpture. In the foreground we see a discarded lute, and a piled up red mantle, plumed helmet and sword sheath, reinforcing the scene’s classical setting. Large round columns and sweeping architecture in the background create a stage-like setting.

The dramatic moment of revelation depicted by Kauffman is taken from the Achilleid by Publius Papinius Statius written about 94–96 AD. This epic poem narrates the life of Achilles from his youth to his death at Troy. At this moment in the tale, Achilles has been concealed by his mother, Thetis, among the daughters of Lycomedes to prevent him from joining the Trojan War that is destined to lead to his death. Sent to find him, Ulysses set a clever trap, presenting gifts of clothes, jewellery and weapons to the court. Achilles, a born warrior, reveals himself by instinctively reaching for the weapons. Angelica Kauffman (1741–1807) took an interest in this story during her time in England between 1766 and 1782. Three versions are known today, one of which was exhibited at the Royal Academy, where she was one of two women artists to be founding members.

Born in Switzerland, Angelica Kauffman trained in Italy in the 1750s. As a woman, she was unable to formally enrol at an academy school, so she studied ancient and modern art with her father, the artist Joseph Johann Kauffmann (1707–1782). Combining her knowledge of Renaissance painting and classical literature she became renowned for her remarkable history paintings. As a recognition of her talent, she was elected to the Accademia di San Luca in Rome at just 23, though she was not allowed to take part in their meetings or draw from live models. Kauffman moved to London in 1766, where she quickly found success, receiving patronage from the royal family within months of her arrival. During her 15 years in England, she built an international reputation. In 1768 when the Royal Academy of Arts was established, she was one of only two women artists to be a Founding Member. After Kauffman returned to Rome in 1782, her studio and salon became an important stop for Grand Tourists who visited and commissioned works.

This work is a modello, or detailed oil study, for a final painting for Catherine the Great, Empress of Russia (from 1762 to 1796). It was commissioned no later than 1787 as a pendant to Servius Tullius as a Child Asleep beneath the Miraculous Flame, which Kauffman painted for the Empress in 1783–5. The present work is an unusually large and fully worked modello with a detailed eight-figure composition, squared up with a ruler for the transfer of the design to the final canvas. The final version was completed by October 1789 and is now held in the Scientific-Research Museum of the Academy of Arts of Russia, in St Petersburg.