Antonio Canova (1757-1822) was a prolific neoclassical sculptor of marble figures, many of which are nudes. His mastery of turning cold, hard marble into graceful living forms can't credibly be disputed. His Cupid and Psyche is only one of many sculptures he created from mythology. He also sculpted Christian art, and sculpted the powerful, usually clothed. Click the pictures at the end of this article for larger views.
Disputes over Canova's sculptures centers more on whether the viewer considers it to be bad art, even pornography, not whether it is art. Lee Woods, commenting on How I Finally Warmed to Antonio Canova, rival to Michelangelo by Jonathan Jones in the Guardian, said it well, "would it not be a better way forward to at least return to a situation in which every member of society can - if they so wished - be involved in a discussion around whether the output of artists is good or bad art ? And not about whether it is, in fact, art?"
Jonathan Jones appreciates Canova's art. "To animate stone is a kind of miracle and I really think that since 1400, only a very few have been able to achieve that transfiguration: this incredible Italian lineage of Donatello, Michelangelo, Bernini... and then Canova, brilliantly responding to their energy and making the final move, arresting it in uncanny suspension."
But is it Pornography?
Some automatically equate nudity with pornography, in which case, to them, it is pornography. Nudity is one element of pornography, but not all nudity is pornographic. The intent of the artist and the focus of the viewer must also be considered. Viewers who can't get beyond the nudity to appreciate the artist's embodiment of the human spirit in the beauty of the human form will always see pornography. Everyone has to choose between base bodily instincts and higher spiritual instincts.
Napoleon was embarrassed by the nude statue Canova sculpted of him that is owned by the Duke of Wellington. It's not how history usually depicts Napoleon – ludicrous it may be, but it's not pornography. Canova doesn't depict a Napoleon wallowing in some base physical desire, but as a powerful conqueror (a much more dangerous desire) without his clothes. Canova also sculpted Pauline Bonaparte reclining as a venus-like nude.
Sculptor of Mythology
Cupid and Psyche is an expression of the soaring beauty of love that includes, but is not limited to, the physical. The Three Graces are the embodiment of such attributes as joy, charm, and beauty, as the three daughters of Zeus. Canova also sculpted Perseus bearing the head of Medusa. Canova's sculptures of mythological subjects are beautifully executed neoclassical works that Jonathan Jones considers as rivals to Michelangelo.
Sculptor of Christian Art
Canova sculpted Mary Magdelene in a quite different pose than any seen in classical sculpture. She is sitting with her legs under her, her palms upturned on her thighs, and her head bowed in a penitent position. Canova was commissioned to sculpt both popes and their memorials. The popes were both Christian and powerful.
Sculptor for Powerful People
St. Augustine's Church in Vienna is the site of the memorial to Archduchess Maria Christina of Austria, sculpted by Antonio Canova, in 1805. The detail shown in the picture below is an exquisite example of the sculptors art. A mixture of both classical and baroque, Canova has turned cold, hard, and angular stone into an unexpected softness. While the lion's paws and mane seem soft and approachable, the musculature of the lion and the angel tell of great power that is resting peacefully.
Ironically, Canova is buried in the tomb which he designed for the painter Titian. It is in the Basislica di Santa Maria Gloriosa de Frari along with the Monument to Doge Giovanni Pesaro. The two stand in stark contrast to each other. Canova's tomb is classical, quiet, and peaceful. The monument to Doge Pesaro has strong emotional undertones in addition to the agony of the telamons bearing the weight.
Antonio Canova's mastery of marble is indisputable. His style may be scorned by some, admired by others, but his work can't and shouldn't be ignored.
Corinne Shibley - Corinne Shibley studied sculpture in art history and created her own sculpture on the way to a B.A. in Studio Art. "There's something ...
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