The Sublime Made Visible

Introduction to the Life and Work of Italy’s

Foremost Sculptor: Antonio Canova
PA RT 1 : B I O G R A P H Y & K E Y W O R K S
PA RT 2 : “ I TA L I A N V E N U S ” S TAT U E S
 The Man
and his
Works
• Why is Canova Special
• Historical Context
• Family Background
• Early Life
• Techniques, styles, philosophy
• Early Explorations: drawings,
paintings, sculptures
• Fundamental Works

Hebe, 1816-17, Forli, Pinoteca Civica Paris, 1816, Paris, Louvre

 Perseus, 1804-06

The Sublime
Made Visible
• Canova was outside the
mainstream of art
• He demanded that art embody
sublime beauty
• In his view the beautiful in nature
was not radiant, but through art
became spiritual
The Three Graces,1814-16,

Orpheus, 1777
Venus Victrix, 1804-08
Dancer with Cymbals, 1811, Gypsotheca Venus & Mars, 1816, Gypsotheca Nymphs &Satyr, 1873, WM Bougereau

Neo-Classicism
 Master of the
Craft

Cupid & Psyche, 1813, Possagno Art is nothing less than

the “VISIBLE
EXPRESSION OF
THE SOUL”

Drawing, 1806, Museo Civico Assorted Busts, Possagno, Casa Canova

 French Revolution
1789 – 1799

Antonio Canova
1757 – 1822

It was the best of times

and
it was the worst of times
 Napoleon as Mars Pacificus 1803–1806;
London

Napoleon’s Invasion of
Italy
Republic of Venice : La Serenissima
Rise and Fall of the Empire  697-
 Italia in Tears
Monument to Vittorio Alfieri, 1806-10, Firenze
Apprenticeship: Un talento
all’Accademia
 Orpheus and Eurydice, 1775-76, Venezia, Museo
Correr

“Early Works” 1770-

1780
Daedalus & Icarus, 1779, Venezia

Daedalus & Icarus

“Early Works”
Canova’s Roman Stay: 1780
Tomb of Pope Clement VIII, 1792, Roma Tomb of Pope Clement VIV, 1787, Roma, Basilica dei Santi
Apostoli

Funeral Monuments of the Popes:

Clement VIII & Clement IV
Funeral Monument to Maria Cristina of Austria, 1805, Vienna,
Augustinerkirche

Tomb of the Archduchess Maria Cristina of Austria

Teseo sul Minotauro, 1783, London,
Victoria and Albert Museum

Theseus and the

Tomb of Pope Clement VIII, 1792, Roma

Minotaur

1782, London, Victoria and Albert Museum

 Canova’s Invasion of
France

Mary Magdalena, 1808, Salon de Paris

Paris, 1816, Paris, Salon de Louvre

Psyche Revived
by Cupid’s Kiss

Paris, 1787, Paris, Salon de Louvre

 The Three Graces

The Three Graces, 1814-16, St. Petersburg, The Ermitage Museum

 The Three Graces

The Three Graces, 1814-16, St. Petersburg, The Ermitage

Museum
 The Severed
Head of Medusa

Perseus, 1804-06, Vatican

c
Museum Gipsoteca of Antonio Canova
at Possagno
 Gypsotheca Canova
Tempio Canova

Casa Canova
 END OF PART QUESTIONS &

1
ANSWERS

Introduction to the Life and Work of Italy’s Foremost

Sculptor: Antonio Canova
 The Sublime Made Visible
Introduction to Italy’s Foremost Sculptor: Antonio Canova

PART 2 :
THE “VENUS” STATUES
 Canova’s
Venus Sculptures
Part Two

• Background
• Venus Vincitrix : Pauline Bonaparte
• Venus de Milo – Classical Precedent
• Venus in Mythology
• Contemporary Italian Venus’
• Venus Italica I – history
• Venus Italica II– Views
• Venus Italica III – history
 Depictions of Venus
Over the Millennia

1. Venus Willendorf, 25000BC, 2. Venus of Milo, 100BC, Louvre 3. Venus Genetrix, 200AD, Louvre4. Birth of Venus, Botticelli, 1486, Firenze
Depictions of Venus in Contemporary
Culture’
Depictions of
VENUS by
ANTONIO
CANOVA
Paoline
Bonaparte
Venus Vincitrix

Venus Victrix, 1804-08, Roma, Galleria Borghese

Bust of a Vestal Virgin
Vestalis, 1821-22, Milano, Gallery of Modern Art
 The Dancer
1812, Ottawa,
National Gallery of Art
Venus and Adonis
1794, Geneva, Musée d’Artes
 The most
beautiful woman
in Firenze.

Venus
de
Medici

1856-72, Firenze, Uffici Gallery

 Introduction to the
Venus Italica
sculptures

Venus Italica, 1812, Firenze, Uffizi

Galleria
 1812, Uffizi Gallery, Firenze

First
Venus Italica

Venus Italica, 1804-1812, Firenze, Uffizi

Galleria
Second Venus Italica - Munich
Venus Italica, 1804-1810, Munich, Residenza
 Canova’s Third Venus
Hearst Library

Venus Italica, 1804-14, Los Angeles, Hearst

 Canova’s
Third Venus

Hearst Library
The Fourth Venus Italica –Hope Collection
The Hope Venus
 Thank you
The Magic Door
A study on the Ancient Italian Traditions
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David Pantano
historian, author, lecturer
Contact:
davpan1000@yahoo.com
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