CAXOPPI, ANTONIO. 



CANOVA, ANTONIO. 



eo 



1844, leaving a considerable fortune, and making several munificent 

 bequests, one of them the sum of 174,000 francs (about 7000) to the 

 Primary Schools of Lombardy; another 87,000 francs to the Milan 

 Academy of Fine Arts, the interest of which is to be devoted annually 

 to the education and support of some young artist, architect, painter, 

 or sculptor. 



CANOPPI, ANTO'NIO, an Italian artist, who resided during the 

 latter half of his life in Russia, and died at St. Petersburg in 1832 

 at the age of fifty-nine. He was educated by his father, who was 

 civil engineer in the service of the Duke of Modena, and was esteemed 

 one of the ablest of his day in that profession. But though he profited 

 by the instruction bestowed upon him, Antonio soon relinquished 

 science for art construction for design. He aspired to build after 

 the manner of Piranesi, the study of whose works filled his imagina- 

 tion with visiona of architectural pomp, which he had afterwards 

 opportunities of displaying when he began to paint for the stage. 

 His first practice however was as a fresco-painter, in which capacity 

 he was employed by many Italian nobles to decorate their saloons. 

 At this period he obtained the notice of Canova, who did much to 

 recommend him, and also gave him instruction in sculpture. At 

 Venice he became scene-painter at the Fenice Theatre, and was after- 

 wards engaged in the same capacity at Mantua, where some of the 

 scenery executed by him was long preserved for the sake of its beauty. 

 While he was thus winning public admiration, he fell under the 

 suspicions of the French government in consequence of the active part 

 he took in public affairs. Finding his personal safety threatened by 

 the emissaries of Napoleon, Canoppi fled to Germany, and having 

 made his way to Vienna, met there with a protector and patron in the 

 Russian ambassador Prince Razurnovbky, who proposed to him to 

 establish himself in Russia. Accordingly, furnished with letters of 

 recommendation by the prince, he proceeded to Moscow in 1 807, 

 where he was fully employed for several years, chiefly iu adorning 

 with mural painting and arabesque decorations the saloons of the 

 principal nobles. The hall of the Senate thus embellished by him 

 excited general admiration, but that and all his other labours of the 

 kind in that capital, perished in the memorable conflagration of 1812. 

 Just before that event Canoppi had sought an asylum at St. Peters- 

 burg, where he was already known by reputation, and was readily 

 engaged as scene-painter at the Imperial Theatre, in which service he 

 iMiitiuued till his death, with the exception of the interval of a 

 twelvemonth, when being ordered (1819) to travel for the benefit of 

 his health, he visited the regions of the Caucasus. During these 

 twenty years he produced a vast number of splendid architectural 

 fcenes for the theatre at St. Petersburg, some of which were considered 

 wonderful performances of their kind ; and the name of Canoppi was 

 enrolled with those of Sanquirico, Quaglio, Schinkel, and other great 

 sceniciati. His engagements with the theatre did not however so 

 completely occupy Canoppi as to prevent his exercising his pencil 

 upon smaller subjects and easel-pieces. These were chiefly either 

 architectural compositions or architectural views, such as those of the 

 Winter Palace (the one destroyed by fire in 1838), and the Etat 

 Major at St. Petersburg ; both of which were placed in the Gallery 

 of the Hermitage: but he sometimes took historical and poetical 

 subjects. 



Besides having a considerable taste for literature, Canoppi wrote on 

 various subjects appertaining to his art, perspective and architecture 

 included ; and there is one publication by him, which appeared in 

 1830, entitled ' Opinion d'Antoine Canoppi sur 1'Architecture en 

 general, et en cpc'cialitc sur la Construction des Theatres Modernes.' 



(Khudozhettvennya Gazeta, November 1837.) 



CANO'VA, ANTO'NIO, was born November 1, 1757, at Possagno, 

 n considerable village in the province of Trevigi, iu the Venetian 

 territory. 



The father of Canova worked in marble, and was also an architect 

 of some merit, so that his son may be said to have been initiated from 

 childhood in the pursuit in which he became so distinguished. At 

 fourteen years of age Canova was taken by his father to Venice, and 

 having obtained the notice of Giovanni Faliero, a senator, he was 

 through his recommendation received into the studio of one Bernard! 

 Torretti; and afterwards, on Torretti's death, into that of his nephew, 

 Giovanni Ferrari. Two baskets of fruit and flowers carved in marble 

 for Faliero are still shown at Venice as the earliest finished produc- 

 tions of Canova' chisel. About this time he commenced his first 

 work of imagination, a group of ' Orpheus aud Eurydice," which he 

 modelled at his native village, during the time that he used to walk to 

 Venice to attend the academy. Having now acquired some reputa- 

 tion, and being recommended by his first protector Faliero, he was 

 employed on some other works, chiefly busts ; and he also modelled 

 his group of ' Dxdalus end Icarus ' a work which may be said to have 

 laid the foundation of his future fame. In the year 1779, the Cav. 

 Zuliano was sent ambassador from Venice to Home, and the senator 

 Faliero, anxious to advance the studies of the young sculptor, gave 

 him a recommendation to that functionary. In October of that year 

 ha arrived at Rome, accompanied by Fontana, a Flemish painter. 

 His group of ' Decdalui and Icarus ' was sent to him, and the account of 

 the impression which it made is interesting. Zuliano was one of the 

 most dintinguished patrons and admirers of the fine arts, and his 

 palace was the rendezvous of all the best artists, critics, and literati 



of the day. The work of Canova being well placed in one of the 

 saloons, a large party of connoisseurs, consisting of Cades, Volpato, 

 Battoni, Gavia Hamilton (the painter), the Abbate Puccini, and others, 

 were invited to dinner, and after the repast were conducted into the 

 room where were the artist and his group. The qualities of art 

 which they were now called upon to judge, viz., simplicity, expres- 

 sion, and unaffected truth to nature, were so different from that 

 which was the mode, that for some time there was a profound silence. 

 Gavin Hamilton at length relieved the youthful sculptor from his em- 

 barrassment, pronounced the highest encomiums upon his work, and 

 gave him at the same time kind aud valuable advice and encourage- 

 ment. This liberality wat not thrown away upon Canova, who, 

 through his long career of success, always acknowledged with grati- 

 tude the important servica thus rendered him by Mr. Hamilton. 

 Canova returned to Venice, but soon after established himself in 

 Rome, having obtained a pension from his government of 300 ducats 

 a year for three years. His first work after his settlement there was 

 a group of Theseus and the Minotaur ; an extraordinary production 

 for the time, and showing a feeling for the purer priuciplea of the art, 

 both in composition and style, quite distinct from the wretched 

 manner that characterised the performances of his contemporaries, 

 and of those who had for some years preceded him. His admitted 

 superiority of talent required but little aid from the influence of his 

 noble protectors to procure him some important employment, and he 

 was selected to execute the monument of Ganganelli (Pope Clement 

 XIV.) for the church of the SS. Apostoli, in Rome. This fine work 

 was exhibited in 1787, and established at once Cauova's claim to the 

 highest rank in his profession. Before this was completed Canova had 

 commenced his model of Rezzouico's (Clement XIII.) monument. 

 This work is in St. Peter's, and is a splendid effort of genius, and of 

 skill in execution. A story is told in Rome of Canova's putting on a 

 monk's dress and cowl, and in this disguise mixing with the crowd, 

 to hear the criticisms that were made when the work was first exposed 

 to public view. 



From this time Canova was constantly employed, and chiefly on sub- 

 jects of imagination. His 'Cupid and Psyche,' his fine group of ' Hercules 

 hurling Lycas from the Rock, ' Theseus with the Centaur,' the ' Graces,' 

 'Statues of Nymphs," 'Endymion,' &c. &c., are too well known, if 

 not iu the originals at least by oasts or engravings, to require description 

 here. In portrait Canova was considered less successful ; though none 

 who have seen his Popes Ganganelli, Rezzonico, and Braschi, will deny 

 his power even in that branch of his art. It is fair to judge him by 

 his best works, and the highest authorities have pronounced the head 

 of the last mentioned Pope, Pius VI., to be a masterpiece of the art. 

 For the union of portrait with ideal (that is elevated) form, we would 

 instance the statues of Napoleon and of Letizia, mother of Napoleon. 

 From among the great number of monumental groups executed by 

 Canova besides those of the popes already mentioned, that of Maria 

 Christina, in the church of Santa Maria de' Frari at Vienna is charac- 

 terised by simplicity of composition, expression, and exquisite finish. 



Canova travelled when young over part of Germany, and was twice 

 in Paris. At his last visit, when sent there by the Roman govern- 

 ment to superintend the removal of the works of art which had been 

 taken to Paris by the French, and which the allies had decided should 

 be restored to Italy, he proceeded to England, chiefly for the purpose 

 of seeing the Elgin marbles, of which he always spoke in terms of the 

 highest admiration, saying that the sight of such exquisite works was 

 sufficient to repay him for his journey from Rome. His reception in 

 England gave him the greatest satisfaction, and he took every oppor- 

 tunity of expressing feelings of admiration and gratitude towards this 

 country. On his return to Rome he received a patent of nobility, and 

 was created Marquis of Ischia. As remarkable for his unpretending 

 modesty as for his talent, Canova never assumed his high title, though 

 he was of course addressed by it, but to the hist called himself and 

 left his cards as Antonio Canova. 



In the latter part of his life Canova was busily occupied in model- 

 ling decorations, such as a group of a Deposition aud some bassi 

 rilievi for a church which ho had built in his native place ; and it was 

 at Venice, where he was staying to be near this object of his interest, 

 that he died in October 1822, after an illness of a very few days. 



Canova was rather below the common stature, and latterly stooped 

 as he walked. His features were strongly marked, but of fine form ; his 

 nose aquiline, and hia eyes deeply set and full of expression : the 

 general character of his countenance was extremely pleasing and pre- 

 possess ing. 



Of most amiable and conciliating manners towards his brother artists 

 and competitors for fame, he was also the liberal supporter and 

 encourager of students of rising talent. He gave pensions to several 

 whose means were insufficient without such assistance, and established 

 out of his own purse a handsome premium for sculpture in the academy 

 of St. Luke, at Rome, of which he was ' Principe,' or perpetual presi- 

 dent. 



In execution, and the whole treatment of his marble, Canova was 

 unrivalled ; but those who judge of sculpture by the pure principles 

 of Greek art (or, iu other words, of nature, selected and exhibited in 

 its finest and most approved forms), will discover, in many of hia 

 works some affectation, both in tho attitudes and expression, and a 

 littleness in some of the details, which are not in accordance with 



