History Painting: Pliny the Younger and His Mother at Miseno (1785) by Angelica Kauffman.

Gaius Plinius Caecilius Secundus, better known as Pliny the Younger, was born in 61 CE in Comum (modern-day Como). As a child, after the death of his father, he went to live with his famous uncle Pliny the Elder (23-79 CE). Inspired by his uncle’s scholarly pursuits as a naturalist and natural philosopher, the young Pliny took to his own studies with great enthusiasm. By the time he was fourteen, he had written his first literary work, a Greek tragedy. As a naturally gifted writer, the young Pliny often put his studies ahead of most other activities. And in a way, his devotion to reading and writing is arguably what saved him from certain death in 79 CE, after he declined to accompany his uncle on a rescue mission across the Bay of Naples, following the catastrophic eruption of Mount Vesuvius.

We know he declined his uncle’s invitation to accompany him because he wrote about it to Roman historian Tacitus, where he said: “He (Pliny the Elder) ordered a light vessel to be got ready, and gave me leave, if I liked, to accompany him. I said I had rather go on with my work; and it so happened, he had himself given me something to write out.” 

Interestingly, choosing to stay behind made Pliny the Younger the only surviving eyewitness of the eruption of Mount Vesuvius of 79 CE, to put pen to paper and record the events. In two letters to Tacitus, Pliny the Younger wrote about his own experience and that of the bravery of his uncle who would die (from asphyxiation) trying to save survivors. When Mount Vesuvius erupted, Phiny the Younger was only 17 or 18 years old. However he didn’t write his account until some twenty five years after the event. He may not have even written about it, if it wasn’t for Tacitus’ request (maybe even insistence) for a summary of what exactly happened to Pliny the Elder.

In Karl Bryullov’s history painting The Last Day of Pompeii, he captures our imagination, especially of the horror and madness of the evacuation of those trying to flee the city. It is in stark contrast to Angelica Kauffman’s insightful history painting Pliny the Younger and His Mother at Miseno (1785). 

Kauffman, one of the most celebrated artists of the 18th century, who was living in Rome at the time with her husband, Antonio Zucchi, chose to paint young Pliny oblivious to the dangers around him, with his thoughts solely focussed on his studies, even when in the background of the painting Vesuvius has erupted in the distance. By showing Pliny having such an insensitive disregard for the safety of, not only his distressed mother who sits besides him but those also around him, highlights the bubble an elite like himself lived in. 

One would imagine Pliny the Younger might have been embarrassed by his behaviour in 79 CE. He could have easily embellished the story in his letters to historian Tacitus, and in the process paint himself in a positive light. Yet to his credit Pliny is quite candid about what happened during those dangerous days Vesuvius blew her top. In one of his letters, he rightly acknowledges his behaviour, probably due to his young age, as foolish. And he goes on to write how a friend of his uncle’s next scolded him for his lack of care and security. 

“Just then, a friend of my uncle’s, who had lately come to him from Spain, joined us, and observing me sitting by my mother with a book in my hand, reproved her for her calmness, and me at the same time for my careless security: nevertheless I went on with my author.”

It is from this passage above written by young Pliny that Kauffman likely used as her inspiration for her history painting. And just like in the passage above, Kauffman shows young Pliny with a pen and book in hand being berated by his uncle’s friend. Whoever this close associate of Pliny the Elder was, we do not know, but Kauffman’s painting shows him gesturing wildly with his hands the danger behind young Pliny and his mother. And if you look closely everyone but young Pliny is acknowledging the danger which smokes in the distance. The wails of the women on the steps in particular highlights the dawning terror, which unnerves young Pliny’s mother who has placed her hand on her son’s lap.

I’m not sure what more we can say about this history painting. Except maybe that its creator was an extraordinary woman. Some might say she was born ahead of her time. Very few female artists took to history painting like she did, a domain dominated by men. She was also a skilled portrait, landscape and decorative painter which the rich and famous including royalty sort her out. One of Kauffman’s greatest patrons was a man named George Bowles. He owned as many as fifty works produced by Kauffman, including her history painting Pliny the Younger and His Mother at Miseno. 

The one thing though that does baffles me about Kauffman’s young Pliny history painting is of course her subject matter. Kauffman could have easily focused her attention on any number of points of view of the chaos surrounding the eruption of Mount Vesuvius, including maybe even a scene of young Pliny’s Uncle’s attempted rescue mission and or his death. Instead electing to focus on such an important event from the perceptive of a witness aloof to the dangers behind him definitely makes this a great talking point. That said, a painting like this unquestionably shows off Kaufman’s skill and versatility as an artist.

Interestingly, it’s worth noting that young Pliny who sits cross legged in Kauffmans history painting has two left feet. This mistake is commonly attributed to her lesser talented husband, who apparently often finished off many of her paintings because she was always busy working on her next new project. Personally I don’t think this wholly distracts the viewer of the subject matter.

On a final note, those interested in Pliny the Younger’s story, following the catastrophic events of 79 CE, might not be too surprised to learn that the young bookworm went on to have an illustrious political career. First as a Roman consul and later as governor of the Roman province of Bithynia and Pontus during the reign of Emperor Trajan (98–117 CE). And if you haven’t already guessed, upon his death in 112/113 CE, Pliny the Younger left a large collection of letters, which detailed Roman life and politics in the 1st century CE, one of which may have been the inspiration for Kauffman’s incredible history painting.

This painting appears in the public domain.