19th Century Pair of Canova Lions in Bronze and Lapis Lazzulo

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19th Century Pair of Canova Lions in Bronze and Lapis Lazzulo

About the Item

The Canova Lions, are of a pair of lions sculpted by Antonio Canova in 1792 for the tomb of Pope Clement XIII in St Peter's in Rome. The originals were sculpted from marble these were cast in gold bronze after the originals. Antonio Canova 1 November 1757 – 13 October 1822) was one of the most important Italian Neoclassical sculptor, famous for his marble sculptures. Often regarded as the greatest of the Neoclassical artists, his artwork was inspired by the Baroque and the classical revival, but avoided the melodramatics of the former, and the cold artificiality of the latter. He was active in Rome, Venice, France and England. Some Of Canova's most notable works are: Psyche Revived by Cupid's Kiss; Pcommissioned in 1787 by Colonel John Campbell. It is regarded as a masterpiece of neoclassical sculpture, but shows the mythological lovers at a moment of great emotion, characteristic of the emerging movement of Romanticism. It represents the god Cupid in the height of love and tenderness, immediately after awakening the lifeless Psyche with a kiss. Napoleon as Mars the Peacemaker had its inception after Canova was hired to make a bust of Napoleon in 1802. The statue was begun in 1803, with Napoleon requesting to be shown in a French General's uniform, Canova rejected this, insisting on an allusion to Mars, the Roman god of War. It was completed in 1806. In 1811, the statue arrived in Paris, but not installed; neither was its bronze copy in the Foro Napoleonico in Milan. In 1815, the original went to the Duke of Wellington, after his victory at Waterloo against Napoleon. Perseus Triumphant, sometimes called Perseus with the Head of Medusa, was a statue commissioned by tribune Onorato Duveyriez. It depicts the Greek hero Perseus after his victory over the Gorgon Medusa. The statue was based freely to the Apollo Belvedere and the Medusa Rondanini. Napoleon, after his 1796 Italian Campaign, took the Apollo Belvedere to Paris. In the statue's absence, Pope Pius VII acquired Canova's Perseus Triumphant and placed the work upon the Apollo's pedestal. The statue was so successful that when the Apollo was returned, Perseus remained as a companion piece.One replica of the statue was purchased from Canova by the Polish countess Valeria Tarnowska; it now resides in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. Venus Victrix ranks among the most famous of Canova's works. Originally, Canova wished the depictation to be of a robed Diana, but Pauline Borghese insisted to appear as a nude Venus. The Three Graces John Russell, the 6th Duke of Bedford, commissioned a version of the now famous work. He had previously visited Canova in his studio in Rome in 1814 and had been immensely impressed by a carving of the Graces the sculptor had made for the Empress Josephine. When the Empress died in May of the same year he immediately offered to purchase the completed piece, but was unsuccessful as Josephine’s son Eugène claimed it (his son Maximilian brought it to St. Petersburg, where it can now be found in the Hermitage Museum). Undeterred, the Duke commissioned another version for himself. The sculpting process began in 1814 and was completed in 1817. Finally in 1819 it was installed at the Duke’s residence in Woburn Abbey. Canova even made the trip over to England to supervise its installation, choosing for it to be displayed on a pedestal adapted from a marble plinth with a rotating top. This version is now owned jointly by the Victoria and Albert Museum and the National Galleries of Scotland, and is alternately displayed at each.

Similar to:
Antonio Canova (Sculptor)
Dimensions:
Height: 6.3 in (16 cm)Width: 7.88 in (20 cm)Depth: 3.15 in (8 cm)
Sold As:
Set of 2
Style:
Neoclassical (In the Style Of)
Materials and Techniques:
Belgian Black Marble,Bronze,Lapis Lazuli
Place of Origin:
Italy
Period:
19th Century
Date of Manufacture:
1850-1890
Condition:
Seller Location:
Roma, IT
Reference Number:
1stDibs: LU243339186461