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Antonio Canova drew inspiration from Greek and Roman art to become the leading and iconic sculptors of Neoclassicism.
- Italian
- November 1, 1757
- Possagno, Veneto, Italy
- October 13, 1822
Antonio Canova is considered the greatest Neoclassical sculptor of the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. Along with the painter Jacques Louis David , he was credited with ushering in a new aesthetic of clear, regularized form and calm repose inspired by classical antiquities .
Canova had a distinct, signature style in which he combined Greek and Roman art practices with early stirrings of romanticism to delve into a new path of Neoclassicism. Canova's sculptures fall into three categories: Heroic compositions, compositions of grace, and sepulchral monuments. [8]
In the latter post he strove energetically to prevent major works of art from leaving Italy. Invited to Paris in 1802, Canova met Napoleon and modeled his bust in clay. The commission for a monumental statue of the First Consul, conceived as a heroic nude, came in 1803.
Antonio Canova Italian. 1794. On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 627. The love affair between Cupid and Psyche is one of the best known classical myths, recounted in the Latin novel The Golden Ass by Apuleius. Many Neoclassical paintings and sculptures derived inspiration from the story.
European Sculpture and Decorative Arts. Perseus with the Head of Medusa. Antonio Canova Italian. Commissioned by Count Jan and Countess Valeria Tarnowski. 1804–6. On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 548.
The Three Graces are the unquestioned masterpiece of Neoclassicism and one of the most acclaimed artworks by Antonio Canova.
