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Antonio Canova: Master of Marble, Lover of Clay

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Antonio Canova: Master of Marble, Lover of Clay
Sculptor Antonio Canova created the greatest neoclassical sculptures of his time. An exhibition at the National Gallery of Art explores how he developed his works in clay, plaster, and marble. “Pope Clement XIV,” 1783, by Antonio Canova. Painted terracotta; 17 11/16 inches by 15 3/4 inches by 9 7/16 inches. Museum Gypsotheca Antonio Canova, Possagno, Italy. Luigi Spina
Lorraine Ferrier
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Many of us can imagine how an artist composes a picture on paper, but how a sculptor converts a lump of stone into a sculpture of beauty remains one of life’s enigmas. We can see or read the steps in the sculpting process, but the sculptor’s skill still enchants us.

Sculptor Antonio Canova created the greatest neoclassical sculptures of his time, and a new exhibition at the National Gallery of Art in Washington explores how he developed his works in clay, plaster, and marble. “Terpsichore Lyran (Muse of Lyric Poetry),” circa 1814–1816, by Antonio Canova. Marble; 69 7/8 inches by 30 3/4 inches by 24 inches. Leonard C. Hanna Jr. Fund 1968, The Cleveland Museum of Art. (The Cleveland Museum of Art)
Sculptor Antonio Canova created the greatest neoclassical sculptures of his time, and a new exhibition at the National Gallery of Art in Washington explores how he developed his works in clay, plaster, and marble. “Terpsichore Lyran (Muse of Lyric Poetry),” circa 1814–1816, by Antonio Canova. Marble; 69 7/8 inches by 30 3/4 inches by 24 inches. Leonard C. Hanna Jr. Fund 1968, The Cleveland Museum of Art. The Cleveland Museum of Art
Lorraine Ferrier
Lorraine Ferrier
Author
Lorraine Ferrier writes about fine arts and craftsmanship for The Epoch Times. She focuses on artists and artisans, primarily in North America and Europe, who imbue their works with beauty and traditional values. She's especially interested in giving a voice to the rare and lesser-known arts and crafts, in the hope that we can preserve our traditional art heritage. She lives and writes in a London suburb, in England.
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