The Three Graces (Canova)
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The Three Graces | |
---|---|
Italian: Tre Grazie | |
Artist | Antonio Canova |
Year | 1814 |
Medium | Sculpture |
Movement | Neoclassicism |
Subject | Charites |
Location | Hermitage Museum Victoria and Albert Museum, Scottish National Gallery |
3D model (click to interact) |
Versions of the piece
The sculpting process began in 1814 and was completed in 1817. In 1819 it was installed at the Duke's residence in
The version in the Hermitage is carved from veined marble and has a square pillar behind the left-hand figure (
By the time he received the Duke's commission, Canova had already enjoyed an illustrious sculpting career. Born in the Italian province of Treviso in 1757, he was educated by his grandfather and his artistic talent was quickly noticed, especially by a senator, Giovanni Falieri, who introduced him to the sculptor Torretto. Torretto took Canova as apprentice for two years.
Canova went on to enjoy small commissions, but his fame did not come until 1780 when he traveled to
In 1802, he was called to Paris by
The sculpture for the Duke of Bedford was based on depictions of the Graces which Canova had previously made, including a 1799 painting, other drawings, and a relief of the Graces that he executed around the same time.
In 1810, he modelled a
Artistic technique and effect
The piece is carved from a single slab of white marble. Canova's assistants roughly blocked out the marble, leaving Canova to perform the final carving and shape the stone to highlight the Graces' soft flesh. This was a trademark of the artist, and the piece shows a strong allegiance to the Neo-Classical movement in sculpture, of which Canova is the prime exponent.
The three goddesses are shown nude, huddled together, their heads almost touching in what many have referred to as an 'erotically charged' piece. They stand, leaning slightly inward — perhaps discussing a common issue, or simply enjoying their closeness. Their hair-styles are similar, braided and held atop their heads in a knot.
The style is elegant and suggests refinement and class — there is a delicate beauty to them that is commonplace in Canova's sculpture. Art historians have often commented on the peaceful balance that seems to exist between the three heads. Unlike compositions of the Graces that were derived from antiquity, where the outer figures turn out towards the viewer and the central figure embraces her friends with her back to the viewer, Canova's figures stand side by side, facing each other.
The three slender female figures become one in their embrace, united by their linked hands and by a scarf which links them. The unity of the Graces is one of the piece's main themes. In Countess Josephine's version, the Graces are on a sacrificial altar adorned with three wreaths of flowers and a garland symbolizing their fragile, close ties.
Neoclassicism and the Baroque
Canova's work challenged the
References
- ^ The Three Graces.] Victoria & Albert Museum, 2013. Retrieved 2 May 2013.