Pair of Sleeping Lion Sculptures by Canova, Faux Marble Lacquered Wood from 1790

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Pair of Sleeping Lion Sculptures by Canova, Faux Marble Lacquered Wood from 1790

About the Item

Pair of sculptures depicting sleeping lions. The model is an invention of Canova. Legend says that in 1767 Canova at the age of 10 made a lion with butter for a cake, it was a winged lion that had a great success. It happened during a dinner organized by Senator Giovanni Falier among nobles in Villa Predazzi in Asolo. It seems that thanks to this episode Falier decided to educate Canova allowing him to attend the Academy of Arts. The sleeping lions were designed by Antonio Canova for the funeral monument of Clement XIII then built between 1783 and 1792. The sculptures had a great success, so they were replicated as objects collectible from the sculptors of the Grand Tour. One made in yellow travertine marble was placed in the Royal Castle of Racconigi. The 2 wooden sculptures we propose are built with square nails and with techniques compatible with the Canova era. the materials are sculpted and lacquered Spruce and Poplar. The lacquer has a claclè and traces of sandracca typical of the eighteenth-century period. We therefore believe that these are 2 works made in Venice between 1780 and 1790 on evident inspiration of Canova's sleeping lions that some Venetian nobleman commissioned in order to decorate their home. They are of an optimal size to give an elegant impression to a refined environment. The conservation is very good, as already mentioned the lacquer is original and presents a sincere craclè. It had a thick sandracca currently very yellowed and very worn. There are still many traces of it especially in the folds of the hair and between the toes of the paws. They are very rare and antique decorative elements. Venice / Veneto area around the middle of the 18th century (1790).

Similar to:
Antonio Canova (Cabinetmaker)
Dimensions:
Height: 27.56 in (70 cm)Width: 20.48 in (52 cm)Depth: 49.22 in (125 cm)
Style:
Neoclassical (Of the Period)
Materials and Techniques:
Wood,Lacquered
Place of Origin:
Italy
Period:
18th Century
Date of Manufacture:
circa 1790
Condition:
Seller Location:
Milano, IT
Reference Number:
1stDibs: LU6165226941612