London, Published for the Proprietors of the European Magazine,by Lupton Relfe,13. Cornhill Dec "11822. THE EUROPEAN MAGAZINE, AND LONDON REVIEW. NOVEMBER 1822. MEMOIR OF. ANTONIO CANOVA, WITH A PORTRAIT PAINTED FROM THE LIFE, BY JOHN JACKSON, ESQ. R. A. AND ENGRAVED BY J. THOMSON. FROM the great celebrity of Canóva, we had for some time been solicitous of giving to the public a history of his life, and a description of those beautiful works of art, the emanations of his genius, which have at once achieved immortality for the artist, and have revived, in Europe, a delight in sculpture as intense as that which is said to have been felt by the Ancients. We had just acquired authentic Memoirs of this great man, when we received the unexpected and lamentable account of his decease. Few things can better attest the pre-eminence of Canóva than the rapidity with which the intelligence of his death has been conveyed to every part of Europe, and the earnestness with which the most exalted by rank, and the most celebrated for genius, have regretted the catastrophe. Antonio Canóva was born in 1757, at Possagno, a small village about eight miles from Bassano, in the Marquisate of Trevisano, in the Venetian territory. His birth was humble, but at the age of twelve, he attracted the attention of the Lord of Possagno, it is said, by placing upon that nobleman's table a figure of a lion, ably modelled in butter. -At fourteen, he made his first coup d'essai in marble, and produced two baskets of fruit, which now ornament the staircase of the Palazzo Farsetti at Venice.-He was now patronized by Falier, who sent him to Vienna, and placed him as a student under Foretti, and then with his nephew, and afterwards launched him into professional life upon his own account, in a small shop under the cloisters of St. Stephano, at Venice, from which he removed to the Traghelto di San Maurizio. At the age of seventeen, or, as some say, fifteen, he produced his first statue, a figure of Eurydice, of about half the size of life, and executed in a spècies of soft marble, called by the Italians Pietro Dolce. As we reserve our remarks upon his genius and productions to the latter end of this Memoir, we shall content ourselves, for the present, in observing, that his figure of Eurydice displayed no promise of superiority, and exhibited no germ of that character of Canóva's genius, which so decidedly pervaded all the productions of his maturer life. His next effort was his Orpheus, and this, with his Eurydice, are now in a villa near Asolo, about fifteen miles from Treviso. He was now admitted into the Academy of the Fine Arts at Venice, and won many of the prizes; and when the Cavalier Girolamo Zulian, the Venetian Ambassador at Rome, invited him to that city, the Senate of Venice granted him a pension of 300 ducats, as a reward for a group which he had made from the subject of Daedalus and Icarus. It is said, that the notice, bestowed upon him by the Venetian Ambassador, was in consequence of an earlier appreciation of his merits by Sir Wm. Hamilton, who had also bestowed upon him pecuniary favours, It is not always possible to decide with certainty the contest, which men of rank frequently maintain, for the honour of having been the first to discover and reward the incipient genius of those who subsequeutly rise to eminence; but Canóva always acknowledged, with gratitude, that, at this period of his life, he had received many important favours from Sir William Hamilton, then our Ambassador at Naples. The Cavalier Zulian commissioned him to execute the group of Theseus and the Minotaur, and his success at Rome was decided, although it must be confessed that, for the first years of his residence in that capital, his principal employers were our own countrymen. He acquired the esteem of all persons for his modest, unassuming manners, and for his generosity to poorer students of the Arts, and to the widows and orphans of unfortunate artists. In 1784, he executed the Mausoleum of Pope Clement XIV., the celebrated Ganganelli, and which was engraved by Vitolli. At the bottom of this engraving, Canóva paid an extravagant compliment to the Cavalier Jerome Zulian, the Venetian Ambassador to the Porte, but which he subsequently thought proper to moderate. In this engraving he takes the title of the Sculptor of Possagno, and tells the Cavalier Julian, produced a statue of Psyche standing and holding a butterfly with one hand, the fight of which she restrains by gently compressing the wings with the other. The figure is of the natural size, and there is a fine engraving of it by Bertini, under which Canova has placed the following philosophic lines from Dante an "Non vi accorgete voi che noi siamo vermi Nati a formar l'Angelica farfalla?" This At the age of thirty-six he finished his Venus and Adonis.. group has been engraved by Bertini, and is now at Naples; but the whole of his works were executed in the following order : Mary Magdalen weeping-A statue of small size, and one of the best of Canova's works. It is now in the gallery of M. Sommariva, at Paris. Cupid and Psyche standingThese two figures are of natural size, but there is a defect in the figure of Cupid, which is made more delicate and feminine than that of Psyche The group is now at Malmaison. Canova executed a copy for the Emperor of Russia. Perseus, with the head of Medusa just severed from the body. This statue was dedicated to Joseph Bosio, a painter of Milan who had purchased it, but it afterwards became the property of Pius VII,, who placed it upon the pedestal of the Apollo, of which it resembled the contour and attitude, but the recollection of the Greek figure deteriorated from the merits of the Perseus. When the works of art were restored from the French by the Allies in 1815, the Apollo resumed its station. Ferdinand IV. of Naples, in roman costume, with the helmet on his head, and with a large mantle covering the left shoulder and arm. This colossal statue was modelled in 1797, but not begun in marble till 1803, and the work was again suspended during the occupation of Naples by the French. It was eventually finished by the special order of Murat, who with much magnanimity accompanied the order by the observation, that it was a 11 monument which belonged to the history of the kingdom." gures was carved 2:10. Krengan and Damaxenes Athletes.These figures are of the natural size! They were dedicated to Cardinal Consalvi, and are now in the Vatican.Sen. 4 7 Hebe pouring out the nectar. This figure is of the size of nature, and belongs to the Emperor of Russia. "Hercules dashing Lycas against the rock. This colossal group is now at Rome in the palace of Torlonia Duke of Branciana. Napoleon, with the sceptre in his left hand, and in his right hand a globe, upon which is seen a genius holding a crown and a branch of palm. This statue, after the battle of Waterloo, became the property of the Duke of Wellington. The engraving of this statue by Racciani was dedicated by Canova to the republic of St. Mariño, in gratitude to the senate for having enrolled his name amongst their citizens. Mausoleum of Maria Christina, Arch-duchess of Austria.-This is esteemed one of the finest of Canóva's works, and is now in the church of the Augustins at Vienna-The figure of Beneficence was engraved separate author of Les Nuits , and dedicated to Count Verri, Romaines, and of La Sapho Itali enne. The mother of Napoleon, of the natural size. This is an imitation of the celebrated statue of Agrippina at the capitol, and is now at Chatsworth, being the property of the Duke of Devonshire. ༈ ༔ THE PRO two immense blocks, or rather rocks of marble, and was destined for the city of Milan. The three Graces. The figures of this group are of the utmost beauty. It is now the property of the Duke of Bedford. Religion crowned and surrounded by rays of glory. The statue is holding a cross and a shield, on which are the figures of St. Paul, and St. Peter in relief. Canóvá offered this colossal statue to the Pope, as a mark of his homage and gratitude. Difficulties having been raised as to the placing of this statue, Canóva sold his property, and withdrew himself from the Papal territories. In his native country, he built a temple for the reception of this figure of religion, The building was a rotunda, with a frontispiece of the exact dimensions of. the parthenon at Athens, and resem-s bling it in every respect, except. that the materials of the copy are stone, the original being of mar, ble. Mars and Venus. A group designed for his Majesty. Canóva was very unfortunate with this sta-j tue, having successively found three blocks of marble defective within, after considerable progress had been made in the work. Peace and the Graces.-In possession of His Majesty. Hector holding a naked sword, Venus Victorious. The goddess is lying down and holding the apple. At the sight of this beautiful statue, Lord Cawdor, to whom it is dedicated, engaged Canova to execute another statue of a nymph lying in a different attitude; Canóva represented the nymph raising herself to listen to the lyre of love. The statue of Venus Victorious is a like-The statue is the property of Count of ness of Pauline Buonaparte, Prin- Romanzoff. cess of Borghese. A winged figure of Peace trampling upon a Serpent-In the right hand is a branch of olive, and in the left, a sceptre-Upon the pe• · · destal is engraved Peace of Abo, 1803. Peace of Camadsgy, 1804. Peace of Frederickscham, 1809.0 Venus rising from the bath. The form and position of the head are almost the same as in the Venus de Medicis.2 Theseus overcoming the Centaur. -This colossal group of two Ma Concord-a resemblance of Med ria Louisa. The figure is seated, and holding a sceptre and a discus. Piety.A figure enveloped with veils, and her hands joined, but solely b by the extremities of the fingers. Gentleness.A female figure seats vou ed, the likeness of Leopoldina Peterhazy Lichtenstein. There is a second female figure also seated. A female Dancer, supported by the trunk of a tree. Paris presenting the Apple. These two statues were formerly at Malmaison. They are now the property of the Emperor of Russia. Two Dancers (females) of the natural size, one holding the cymbals, and the other a crown. A Statue of Washington-designed for the hall of the senate of South Carolina. The individuality of this great man is lost by Canova's attir ing him in a roman costume. A Mausoleum ordered by the Marchioness of Santa Crux, for her daughter, but containing now both the parent and child. Inscribed upon the tomb is the simple and affecting epitaph mater infelicissima filia et sibi. The Mausoleum of Alfieri, with the figure of Italy weeping over the ashes of this celebrated genius. The Mausoleum of Volpato, with a representation of Canóva himself weeping at the loss of his friend. The Mausoleum of Count Souza, Portuguese Ambassador at Romeof Frederick Prince of Orange, and of Lord Nelson; and finally, a cenotaph to the memory of John Fallieri, a senator of Venice. Canóva likewise executed a colossal statue of himself, and a figure of a horse larger than any now extant. He had modelled for this horse a colossal figure of Napoleon, looking backwards, which, said the artist, "is a proof that he is the first of all." Murat appropriated this equestrian statue to himself; and Charles III. of Spain, subsequently designed it for his own figure, but it appears destined to bear a colossal statue of Ferdinand of Naples. We believe we have given a complete list of this artist's works. In 1798, and 1799, Canóva visited Austria and Prussia, and in 1802, he repaired to Paris, at the invitation of Buonaparte, then first Consul: at this time he executed the colossal bust of Napoleon. In 1815, he was sent to France with the title of Ambassador of the Pope, his sole object, however, was to superintend the restoration of the monuments of art to the different Italian states; an office which he executed strictly to the letter of his instructions. This work of restitution completed, hẹ visited this country, and received from the Prince Regent a snuff box, richly set in diamonds. On his return to Rome, he was received with honour by the academy of St. Luke the Pope constituted him prefect of the Fine Arts, conferred upon him the honor of knighthood, afterwards created him Marquis d'Ischia, with an annual pension of 1000 (roman) crowns. Finally, on the 5th of January, 1816, the Pope, in council, enrolled his name in the book of the capitol. On the evening of the 4th of October last, Canóva repaired to Venice, being extremely ill. He alighted at the house of his friend, Antonio Francesconi, but was so weak that he could scarcely ascend the staircase. In the course of the night he was seized with violent vomitings, which were succeeded by convulsions, His friend, Councellor Aglietti, now thought it advisable to communicate to him the approach of death. He received the news with firmness-ordered that his body might be buried at his native town of Possagno, and that his heart might be deposited at the Imperial and Royal Academy of Fine Arts at Venice, of which he was the President. He lingered until the 12th of October, and, at forty-four minutes past eight on the morning of that day, he breathed his last. A cast was taken of his countenance, and on Wednesday the 14th his body was conveyed to the cathedral of St. Marks, attended by the Governor of Venice, and the President and Society of the Fine Arts, the public authorities, and the members of the University of Padua. The body was placed upon a temporary cenotaph; a funeral dirge was then performed, and, the body being removed to the hall of the Society of the Fine Arts, an oration was pronounced over it by his friend, Count Cicognara, President of the Society. The next day he was buried in the patriarchal church of St. Mark, at Venice, and the following inscription was engraved to his memory: |