456 
this: The principal group is seen only 
. from behind, and necessarily loses great 
part of the effect which it ought to pro- 
duce. The marble scroll is likewise too 
prominent an object; you cannot but ob- 
serve that it was contrived merely for the 
purpose of joining the two greups, which 
would otherwise have left the spectator 
in doubt with respect to the unity of their 
design, 
How just soever these censures may ap- 
pear, the numberless beauties which this 
mausoleum presents, the superior talents 
Jé announces, the idea in itself extremely 
affecting, of the Virtues shedding tears on 
the ashes of the princess, who cherished 
them in her heart, grief delineated with 
admirable truth, the same sentiment as 
varied in” its expression as the age and 
eharacter of the tigures, the beauty of the 
forms, the art displayed in the draperies, 
the moving countenances of the persons, 
the magniticent figure of Celestical Feli- 
city soaring towards the’ mansions of ever- 
lasting bliss, the contrast formed by the 
mild joy which animates her features, 
and the sorrow and revret depicted in 
those of the others, a thousand pertecs 
tions which at once strike the eye of the 
spectator ; in a word, every thing concurs 
to raise this mausoleum above all the mo- 
dern productions of the kind, and to con- 
sign it to posterity as a work which can- 
not fail of forming a brilltaat epoch in the 
history of the art. 
The two girls carrying flambeaux are 
placed in an adisirable manner: they 
form with Virtue the most beautiful group: 
imaginable; it is the innocence and the 
candour, and the majestic gravity of Vir- 
tue. The expression of their faces is 
artless as their hearts. The drapery, 
though it does not- appear studied, is 
formed with perfect art, and its simpli- 
eity adds charming graces to the persons.- 
Charity. advances with a- noble and 
touching air The sorrow of a child is 
charactérized with the greatest trath in 
that of the girl who follows her; and the 
old man would form a perfect contrast, 
were he represented-in-a less ignoble 
manner, sO as not to destroy part of the 
charm resulting fron: the view of all the 
other figures; which are noble and replete 
with grace. The artist would probably 
have proved more successful in preduc~ 
mg one uniform mpression by means of 
the general assemblage of his characters, 
if, instead of representing a mendicant, 
be bad mercly introduced air old man, 
why would not have led the imagimation 
Account of the Life and Works of Canova. 
[Sept. 1, 
of the spectator to the ever trivial and 
disagreeable ideas of poverty. 
The lion and the genius are executed 
im a superior ftyle. The genius presetits 
‘a perfect model of all the beauty of figure, 
and the charms of physiognomy which 
distinguish youth; his countenance is 
natural, and adapted to the sentiments of 
sorrow impressed upon his features. : 
It is by the exquisite general effect of 
his figures, in the concurrence of all the 
parts in the expression of the same cha- 
racter, by the purity of the taste, the 
truth of the details, the finish of the exe- 
cution, that Canova has afforded an op- 
portunity of estimating the improvement 
which the .art has received from the im- 
pulsion of his genius, of the immense dis- 
tance which he has left the artists of se- 
veral preceeding centuries behind him. 
Towards the conclusion of 1797, Ca- 
nova executed the statue of the King ea 
Naples for the Museum degli Studie at 
Naples. The model was scarcely finish- 
ed, when Rome and the kingdom of the — 
two Sicilies were involved im the revolu- 
tion which changed the face of Europe, 
Vandalism was about to vent its fury on 
this statue of a king, but Cupid, Psyche 
and Hebe, which were at the same time 
in the workshop of the artist, preserved 
this new performance from destruetion, 
by skreening it from the eyes of the fu- 
rious conquerors. ) . 
The king is represented of colossal size, 
and armed in the antigue manner witha 
helmet, cuirass and buskins, like those of 
the Roman emperors. He is extending 
his right hand to bless his people, and 
with his left holds up the mantle which 
descends from his shoulderand falls down 
to his feet, forming folds contrived with 
great art and elegance. The face is a 
striking likeness and replete with dignity. 
Upon the whole this statue is one of the 
best of Canova’s productions. It was 
executed in marble in 18038. 
During the years 1798 and 1799, when 
the political troubles which agitated 
tome suspended the progress of the arts, 
Canova accompanied prince Rezzonico, | 
in a tour through Germany and Prussia. 
On his return, he passed some time at 
Venice, where he designed an altar-piece 
with which he mteuded to embellish the 
church of his native village. It is a Dead 
Christ, near whom are Nicodemus and 
Joseph of Arimathea, with God the Father 
appearing ~amidsé clouds in the fky. 
\ The tirst. model submaitted to the public 
eye after Canova’s return to Rome, was 
oe 
ia 2}, 
eR 
