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Antonio Canova
Neoclassical rock star
Antonio Canova (1757–1822), born in Possagno in the Serene Republic of Venice, was Europe’s celebrity sculptor, who revolted against the emotional expressiveness of Baroque and refined a cool, Neoclassical style, best expressed in his smooth marble nudes. He was the favourite of Napoleon and Benjamin Franklin.
In Venice, he is represented by the statue of Orpheus and Eurydice in the Museo Correr. He also sculpted a striking pyramid tomb for Titian in the Frari, but it was used instead to bury his own heart after he died in Venice.
Text © Dana Facaros & Michael Pauls
Image by Harshlight, Creative Commons License