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A Carrara Marble Statue Of The 'Venus Italica', On Pedestal, After Canova

$55,108.85
£40,000
€46,712.24
CA$76,302.06
A$83,303.58
CHF 43,672.66
MX$1,011,754.06
NOK 545,400.41
SEK 515,003.42
DKK 348,657.14

About the Item

A Fine Carrara Marble Statue Of The 'Venus Italica', On Pedestal, After the Celebrated Model by Antonio Canova. Venus is modelled looking over her right shoulder holding her robes with her left hand across her chest. A casket at her feet. On a shaped circular base. On a red scagliola column pedestal with white marble foot. Italy, Circa 1890. Known as the 'Venus Italica' and considered one of Canova’s finest sculptures, its creation only came about only because Napoleon had plundered from the Uffizi the antique statue known as the 'Medici Venus'. Canova was persuaded by Lodovico I, King of Etruria, to make a replacement so as to redeem its loss and restore national honour. The patriotic overtones of its inception are accented by the name given to the statue. Canova was free to reinterpret Venus and made two variations before finally completing the Venus Italica in 1811. The Grand Duchess of Tuscany, Elisa Baciocchi, actually convinced Napoleon, her brother, to pay Canova the 25,000 francs agreed, so that the statue could be delivered to Uffizi atop the empty pedestal left by the 'Medici Venus'. Comparisons between the two were inevitable, the most famous being that a most beautiful woman had replaced a most beautiful goddess. Its popularity was undeniable, and Canova would complete a second version for Crown Prince Ludwig of Bavaria, now in the Munich Glyptothek and a third version for Prince Lucien Bonaparte, resold to Lord Lansdowne in 1819, and now lost. In 1815 the 'Medici Venus' was returned to Florence, but in the 19th century the modern Venus would take its place as a more lasting symbolic model of beauty. Its universal fame resulted in an incalculable number of replicas made in the Roman and Florentine studios, either life-size or, as here, reduced. The present example is particularly fine, sculpted from unveined Carrara marble, beautifully detailed and retaining an excellent original interior finish. This statue once formed part of a collection of valuable 19th century sculpture belonging to the Viscounts Mountgarret at Nidd Hall, North Yorkshire. Related Literature: 'Canova', Catalog of an exhibition held at the Correr Museum, Venice and the Gipsoteca, Possagno, Mar. 22-Sept. 30, 1992. Marsilio Editori, Venice, 1992, No. 132, pp. 282-289. Provenance: Richard Butler, 14th Viscount Mountgarret, Nidd Hall, North Yorkshire. Thence by descent until sold in 1968 by Richard Butler, 17th Viscount Mountgarret, to Guy Reed at Copgrove Hall, Yorkshire. The statue: Height 102 cm, Width 30 cm, Depth 35 cm Pedestal: Height 124 cm, Width 42 cm , Depth 42 cm Overall 226 cm high. Weight of statue: 54 kg Weight of pedestal: 80 kg Total weight: 134 kg
  • Dimensions:
    Height: 88.98 in (226 cm)Width: 13.78 in (35 cm)Depth: 11.82 in (30 cm)
  • Materials and Techniques:
  • Place of Origin:
  • Period:
  • Date of Manufacture:
    Circa 1890
  • Condition:
    Wear consistent with age and use.
  • Seller Location:
    Brighton, GB
  • Reference Number:
    Seller: B782311stDibs: LU1028046177662

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