Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
German writer, poet and playwright. Between 1786 and 1788, he travelled through Italy, writing a travel report published with the title of "Italian Journey". This trip was a kind of escape from his work as a minister in Weimar, that - according to Goethe's words - stifled his creativity. Goethe spent most of the time in Rome, but he visited also other places and cities, like Venice, Florence, Sicily and Southern Italy (Neaples, Paestum, etc.), where he was able to admire the Greek architecture.
Angelica Kauffman
A successful Swiss Neoclassical painter, Angelica Kauffman met Goethe during his stay in Rome in 1786. They became friends and Goethe started attending her literary salon in Rome (Via Sistina). Kauffman fell in love with him, painting a portrait of him and selling to him love letters, but that feeling was not returned by Goethe, who saw her only as a friend.
Johann Heinrich Wilhelm Tischbein
Johann Tischbein was a German Neoclassical painter. He travelled widely, mostly in Italy, where he became friends with Goethe, with which he journeyed in Naples from february 25th to March 29th 1787. They visited together also Pompeii, Herculaneum ruins and Paestum.
