Memoirs of Antonio Canova: With a Critical Analysis of His Works, and an Historical View of Modern Sculpture ... |
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admiration ancient antiquity Antonio Canova appears artist Asolo attained beauty Bernini bust Canova celebrated Cenotaph century character chisel church Cicognara Cimabue colossal commenced composition cotemporaries Creugas Dædalus distinguished Donatello early effect elegance elevated eminence employed esteemed Eurydice excellence executed exertions exhibited expression Falier favourable feeling figure finished Florence former friends Ganganelli genius grace grandeur hand history of sculpture honour imitation improvement individual instance Italian Italy labours latter less manner marble master ment merits Michael Angelo mind modern monument Naples native nature neral never noble object observed original ornament patron perfect period Pisa Possagno possessed powers present principles productions progress racter refinement regarded relievos remain rendered respect Rezzonico Rome sagno sculp sculpture seemed shew simplicity sion splendid splendour statue style sublime superiority talents taste Theseus tion tomb Toretto trace ture Tuscany Venetian Venetian Academy Venice Vicenza youth
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Page 286 - The mind with in its most unearthly mood, When each conception was a heavenly guest — A ray of immortality — and stood, Starlike, around, until they gather'd to a god...
Page 188 - I laboured," says he, in one of his letters*, " for a mere pittance, but it was sufficient. It was the fruit of my own resolution ; and, as I then flattered myself, the foretaste of more honourable rewards, — for I never thought of wealth.
Page 71 - Nor then forget that Chamber of the Dead, Where the gigantic shapes of Night and Day, Turned into stone, rest everlastingly; • Yet still are breathing, and shed round at noon A two-fold influence — only to be felt — A light, a darkness, mingling each with each ; Both and yet neither. There, from age to age, Two Ghosts are sitting on their sepulchres. That is the Duke LORENZO. Mark him well. He meditates, his head upon his hand. What from beneath his helm-like bonnet...
Page 249 - Family of Darius," by Paul Veronese, with other excellent works. the act of adapting to the shoulders of his son the fatal pinions, which he vainly hoped would waft him safely from Cretan bondage. -Icarus as if assisting, holds in his right hand part of the materials ; but seems chiefly engaged in watching the progress of the work, which he regards with all the careless unconcern of fearless youth. These different but connected actions, have thrown both into attitudes extremely natural and simple,...
Page 164 - He only knew there was a spirit within him, urging, impelling, he scarce knew what : a longing for the Infinite which pressed so heavily upon him, that he felt, to use his own impressive words, " He could have started on foot with a velocity to outstrip the wind, but without knowing whither to direct his steps ; and when activity could no longer be supported, he would have desired to lie down and die.
Page 130 - MONO the former dependencies of \renice is the obscure village of Possagno, situate amid the recesses of the hills of Asolano, which form the last undulations of the Venetian Alps, as they subside in the plains of Treviso. In Possagno, on the morning of the 1 st of November 1757, was born Antonio Canova. The mud-walled cabins of an alpine village witnessed, during the first twelve years of existence, the dawnings of that mind whose productions now constitute the most precious treasures of the noblest...
Page 164 - He would often gaze, said one of his early friends to the author, on the evening clouds, and on the mountains, from behind which their floating masses seemed to advance, as if he wished to mingle with their gilded forms, — to range unconfined the azure outline of the distant Alps,— or to penetrate the dim futurity beyond. At other times, he would hurry to his drawings — or models — or last performance ; examine the objects again and again ; then leave the place in seeming disappointment,...
Page 155 - LXVII. The anecdote may very possibly be true ; nay, there are many reasons for crediting its veracity: but certainly the circumstance which it records was not, either the occasion of Canova's first introduction to the family of Falier, or the cause of the subsequent patronage which he experienced. The connection was not in truth the result of a fortuitous occurrence, — nor founded on a momentary feeling, but proceeded from previous and long-established intercourse.
Page 205 - ... of unaided invention. The model for the statue of Eurydice was now finished ; and at this season the Falier family were about to leave town for their usual summer retreat at Asolo. To this retirement Canova also removed, carrying with him every thing necessary to complete, during his residence in the country, that part of his work thus commenced. In consequence of these preparations therefore, at Asolo — in the villa Falier where it still remains, was finished towards the conclusion of his...
Page 250 - ... forward, he is affixing with cord, presents in front his broad and muscular frame. The body is bent gently forwards, but the head being turned towards his son, the aged countenance, deeply marked with anxious expression, is seen in profile. Icarus, on the contrary, inclined towards his father, a side view only of his slender and buoyant form is exposed. The head, indeed, being bent with a graceful inclination, and the looks directed to the right shoulder, the motion has turned the chest more...