Antonio Canova

Antonio CanovaImage:canovas_three_graces_in_hermitage.jpg|Thumb|200px|right|A version of the Three Graces in the Hermitage Museum, St. Petersburg '''Antonio Canova''' (November 1, 1757 - October 13, 1822) was an Italy|Italian sculpture|sculptor who became famous for his marble sculptures that delicately rendered nudity|nude flesh. The epitome of the neoclassicism|neoclassical sculptor, his work marked a return to classical refinement after the theatrical excesses of Baroque art. Canova was born in Possagno in the Province of Treviso where his family had for generations been stone cutter|stone cutters; as a result and he learned to cut marble at a very early age. When only twelve years old he modelled a lion in butter, that was so liked by Signor Falieri that he sent him to be taught by Torretti, the most noted sculptor of the time. He studied ancient art and made many statues of classical subjects, as well as many monuments, busts and statues of living people, among them Napoleon and George Washington. The large fortune which he made was mostly spent in helping the poor, or in assisting other artists, he was made a nobleman and received many honors. Canova died in Venice aged sixty-five and was buried in the town of his birth. His heart was interred in a marble pyramid he designed as a mausoleum for the painter Titian in the church of Basilica di Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari|Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari in Venice, now a monument to the sculptor. === Notable works by Canova === * The Three Graces * Cupid and Psyche * Cupid and Psyche with Butterfly * Venus (mythology)|Venus and Adonis * Daedalus and Icarus (mythology)|Icarus * Perseus (mythology)|Perseus slays Medusa (mythology)|Medusa Canova often executed more than one copy of a successful sculpture; there are for example two copies of The Three Graces and two of Cupid and Psyche. Image:Persus-with-the-head-of-med.jpg|Thumb|right|250px|Perseus (mythology)|Perseus displays Medusa (mythology)|Medusa's head in this 1806 Canova. ==External links== *[http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/03298b.htm Catholic Encyclopedia entry for Antonio Canova] *[http://cartelfr.louvre.fr/cartelfr/visite?srv=rs_display_res&critere=antonio+canova&operator=AND&nbToDisplay=5&langue=fr French page on Louvre site lnking to three sculptures by Canova and two portraits of the artist] *[http://www.insecula.com/contact/A006518.html Insecula.com: French language biography and links to pages on works] *[http://www.cis.nctu.edu.tw/~whtsai/Trip%20to%20Russia/Main%20pages/Representative%20pictures%20for%20days/06%20A%20marble%20sculpture%20by%20Antonio%20Canova%20---%20The%20Three%20Graces.JPG An extremely big picture of Canova's ''Three Graces'' in the Hermitage museum, St. Petersburg (370 kb)] *[http://community.webshots.com/photo/129745084/129745932sUQTgh Perseus and Medusa at Webshots Community (links to bigger version)] *[http://community.webshots.com/photo/188747586/188753190zvQmQe Another view on Webshots, also links to bigger version] *[http://community.webshots.com/photo/199795066/200922982yoxIIA Waist up, another Webshots photo] *[http://community.webshots.com/photo/188540285/188550279aIMUbU Perseus back view from Webshots] Category:1757 births|Canova, Antonio Category:1822 deaths|Canova, Antonio Category:Italian sculptors|Canova, Antonio Category:Neoclassicism|Canova, Antonio de:Antonio Canova es:Antonio Canova fr:Antonio Canova it:Antonio Canova sv:Antonio Canova