The Three Graces

The Three Graces depicts the three daughters of Zeus, each of whom is described as being able to bestow a particular gift on humanity: (from left to right) Euphrosyne (mirth), Aglaia (elegance) and Thalia (youth and beauty). The first version of this piece was commissioned by one of the era's most famous women, Joséphine de Beauharnais, who was by then the divorced first wife of Napoleon. In May 1814, before Antonio Canova had completed the sculpture, De Beauharnais died. John Russell, the 6th Duke of Bedford, visited Canova's studio in Rome in December that year and, impressed by the artistry of The Three Graces, told Canova he wanted to acquire the finished marble. De Beauharnais' son, Prince Eugène de Beauharnais, also wanted to buy the group his mother had commissioned, so Canova offered to make the Duke of Bedford a 'replica with alterations'.For the second version of the piece (which Canova himself apparently preferred), the material was changed from veined to white marble, the pillar from square to round, and the central figure (Aglaia) was given a slightly broader waist. The finished sculpture was delivered to the Duke of Bedford's home, Woburn Abbey, in 1817 (the original is now in the Hermitage, in St. Petersburg).The Three Graces was set on a marble plinth, in such a way that it could be rotated, allowing the viewer to easily enjoy multiple viewpoints. In its purpose-built home (Temple of the Graces, a top-lit rotunda specially designed for it by the fashionable architect Jeffrey Wyatville) the piece was surrounded by the many outstanding ancient sculptures of the Duke's collection, as well as works by contemporary British sculptors, notably Joseph Nollekens, Francis Chantrey and Richard Westmacott.

Venus Italica

The Venus Italica was commissioned by Napoléon Bonaparte , 3 versions were made between 1802 and 1819. The work was to serve as a replacement for the Venus de Medici sculpture, a copy of an antique work by Cleomenes of Athens, which had been seized, taken to France and placed in the Louvre in 1802 by orders of Bonaparte. After Napoleon's abdication the Venus de Medici was returned to Italy in 1815 and is since on display in the Room of Venus in the Galleria Palatina in Florence. It has been observed that the work conveys the artistic expression of sexual vulnerability aided by Canova's unique technique and ability to achieve the illusion of human flesh has been called the Direct touch Finally he would apply an unknown compound of patina onto the flesh of the sculpture to lighten the skin tone. This process has been called the Last touch. Canova would eventually begin to display his studio works in candlelight. Intrigued by the effects of the light and shade of the candles on the translucent marble surface Canova soon began to further soften the transitions between the various parts of the statue and rub them down with special tools and pumice stone, sometimes for weeks or months.

Pauline Bonaparte as Venus Victrix

Pauline Borghese Bonaparte (1780-1825) was the sister of Napoléon Bonaparte and is depicted bare-breasted as she reclines on two cushions and a soft mattress, with her right hand touching her head and her left holding an apple. According to Greek mythology, Paris granted Venus the golden apple to signify the primacy of her beauty over the virtues of Juno and Minerva. Executed in Rome between 1804 and 1810, the sculpture caused quite a stir among contemporaries: the work combines ancient grace and artifice with a naturalistic rendering – almost pictorial – of the soft flesh and delicate veils that cover Pauline’s lower body, creating an extremely seductive image.The ‘Agrippina-style’ chaise lounge also has exquisite detail, the rendering of the mattress is particularly striking: it seems to gently give way under the weight of the goddess. The chaise lounge also conceals an ingenious mechanism that rotates on a central access,  the device allows the sculpture to turn 360°.Rumours abound regarding her nudity and the possibility that she may have posed naked for the Sculptor, she herself mischievously said that ‘one may let every veil fall in front of Canova.

Psyche Revived by Cupid's Kiss

The story of Cupid and Psyche represents one of the most romantic myths ever written in literature, because it tells of a pure love that is hindered by the envy and malice of a jealous goddess.Legend tells us of a beautiful girl named Psyche, so sublime that she was nicknamed Venus, a fact that unleashed the wrath and jealousy of the goddess of the same name.Venus (the goddess) tasks her son Cupid with making Psyche fall madly in love with a rude man who will not reciprocate her passion, condemning her to eternal unhappiness. When Cupid sees Psyche, things don’t go as planned by the wicked goddess, because her son misses the shot of the enchanting arrow and pierces himself, falling madly in love with the splendid girl and uniting with her.

This astonishing work of art was commissioned by John Campbell. Looking at Cupid and Psyche embracing each other from the canonical point of view, i.e. from the front, one captures the harmony of the bodies that intersect in the loving embrace a moment before kissing, forming a sinuous and soft X, which leaves the work vibrating in the space.The four arms of the two lovers together form two circles that frame the faces to accentuate the very few centimeters that separate their lips from the kiss.

The central point on which the viewer’s attention is focused is the embrace, Psyche is positioned to the side and holds out her arms towards Cupid, who takes her while keeping her head turned backwards with her right hand and with the other arm, he gently touches her breasts.

Looking at the sculpture from behind it is possible to admire the details of Psyche’s hair, the quiver of Cupid, i.e. the classic case that contains weapons such as darts and arrows, plus the vase that caused the girl to faint.