October 2007

Celebrating The Sculpture Of Antonio Canova

Members of Farnham Decorative and Fine Arts Society met at the Maltings on Tuesday, 16 October to hear John Kenworthy-Browne’s lecture on “Celebrating the Sculpture of Antonio Canova – 1757-1822"; this being Canova’s 250th anniversary of his birth at Possagno in Italy.

Mr Kenworthy-Browne described the Baroque style of sculpture that came before Canova’s neoclassical expression and the importance of patrons to sculptors. The audience were shown slides of a large selection of sculptures by Canova where he depicted naked figures with youth and beauty in action and particularly back sides. The figures had wonderful lines and the marble almost looked polished.  The works were very time consuming from drawings to clay models to transferring to marble.  Often assistants would prepare the models but Canova always took over doing his own final carvings.   Plaster models stayed in the studios and visitors would come from far afield to see them.

Napoleon fought through to Italy in 1796/7 and took the best works of art to the Louvre in Paris, which everyone went to see.   Canova was asked to go to Paris which reluctantly he did and became a friend of Napoleon.   He did works of Napoleon’s mother, sister and wife, Empress Josephine, who collected 5 of Canova’s works.  Canova’s “The Three Graces” being his most notable sculpture, one version now at the V & A, London and another at the Hermitage, St Petersburg.

Canova also had English patrons in particular the Duke of Devonshire who acquired many of his works for Chatsworth and the Gallery is a memorial to Canova.   The Duke of Bedford acquired one of the versions of the Three Graces displayed at Woburn Abbey on a pedestal in the Temple which Canova had visited.   There is Canova’s 10 ft high sculpture of Napoleon at Apsley House, London.  

Chairman, Frances Ashworth commenced the meeting by reminding members of the visit to Winchester Cathedral on Thursday 6 November with a special guided tour and a chance to go in the tower.   The Study Day on 28 November on the willow pattern story should be fascinating.