Antonio Canova Biography
Antonio Canova (01/11/1767 – 09/13/1822) – the most significant of the Italian sculptors of modern times, was born on November 1, 1767 Son of a poor stonemason, he orphaned early and enrolled in the service of a Venetian senator Faliero. The latter brought him the opportunity to study sculpture. With just 16-years-old Th, K. performed for his patron, the statue of Orpheus and Eurydice, but in 1779, for in Venice Pisano, the group: "Daedalus and Icarus."
The following year he went to Rome, where familiarity with classical sculpture monuments rapidly developed his innate artistic ability. Soon, a young artist has taken a prominent place among sculptors of those times, and his reputation grew with each new his works spread far and beyond Italy. On all sides, from the royal personages and nobles, fell to his orders. Pope Pius VII, in 1880, made him his chief overseer of all artistic monuments in their possession. Napoleon I invited him in 1802, in Paris, for making the colossal statues (Napoleon), and for other important works.
After the fall of Napoleon, in 1815, K. vigorously promoted the fact that the art treasures carried away from Rome, deposed emperor of France, were returned to the Eternal City, in gratitude for this, as well as for his extraordinary artistic talent, Pius VII ordered write his name in the golden book of the Capitol and granted him the title of Marquis d'Iskia. Despite these accolades, and in favor of the pope, the famous sculptor, due to his disagreement with the Cardinals, had left Rome and the last years of his life in his homeland, Possano near Bassano.
He died in Venice, August 13, 1822 The merit of K. is that after a long period of decline in plastics, in the age of affectation and parikovstva, he first of all tried to bring her back to the principles and forms of ancient art, but it all did not have completely free from defects sculpture of his time and reach the classic simplicity and nobility, which is especially noticeable in the weakest sector of his work relief, preserving even the nature of previous works of this kind. The statue, K., and still more his groups still lack of peace and that inner perfection, which constitute the main conditions is true plastic beauty.
Well he succeeded in figures of young women, whom he almost always attributed partly sensual, partly sentimental tone, flirtatious grace, loved his time. Somewhat simpler and therefore more attractive to men's ideal figure, or better yet – tombstones, of which some really different songs plasticity, seriousness and dignity.
Remarkable of the works of the famous sculptor, in chronological order of their appearance, are the following.: "Daedalus and Icarus," a colossal group of "Theseus kills the Minotaur" (in Vienna. Imp. Museum), a monument of Pope Clement XIV (1783, in M. St. Apostles in Rome), extremely beautiful, nice group of "Cupid and Psyche" (in 1789, repeated several times, one copy of it in the Imperial. Hermitage in St. Petersburg.) monument to Pope Clement XIII (1792, in Peter's Cathedral in Rome ), "Venus, and Adonis," The Penitent Mary Magdalene "(1796), a masterly performance" Hebe "(1796, repeated several times, one copy – in the Imperial. Hermitage, the other – in Berlin. nationalism.'s gallery)," Battle Damoksena with Kreugasom "(1800, in vatik. Muses., in Rome), too beautiful funerary monument Archduchess Christina in the n. Augustinian. monastery in Vienna (1796 – 1805), "Perseus with the head of Medusa (one of most successful creatures artist in the Vatican. Muses.) statue of Napoleon I, as a god, with a laurel wreath on his head," Venus-winner "( 1805), "Venus emerging from the sea after a swim," "Three Graces" (in hertz. Bedford, in Iobyurnskom Abbey in England, and in the gallery hertz. Leuchtenberg, in St. Petersburg.), "Paris" (in the Munich Glyptotek in Imp. Hermitage), "Endymion," a monument to the poet Alfieri (1807, q /. Santa Croce, Florence); statue of Washington (1818 – 20, died from a fire) and, finally, the group: "Hector and Ajax. Selected Works C., including 176, engraved in London G. Moses, in 1828. and issued a 3 volume., with the text of F. Schulz, in Stuttgart, the other a collection of engravings of his works ed. Countess Albritstsi and G.Latush (1836, 5 vol.). More or less detailed information about the life and work of AK can be found in the works: A. Paravia, "Notizie intorno alla vita di A." (Rome, 1823); Missimini, "Vita di A." (Prato, 1826); Cicognara, "Storia della scultura fino al secolo di S." (Rome, 1823); A.-Ch. Quatremere de Quincy, "C. et ses ouvrages" (PG, 1834) and "Memorie di AC pubblicate da A. d'Este" (Benetsiya, 1865).