The foremost neoclassical sculptor of his age, Antonio Canova (1757 1822) is best known for his masterpiece The Three Graces, embodying in marble an ideal of feminine beauty. Descended from stonecutters, Canova was apprenticed to the sculptor Giuseppe Bernardi, quickly establishing his reputation for originality through works such as Psyche Revived by Cupid's Kiss. The idealism of his art, moving away from ornate baroque style, did much to increase the popularity of contemporary sculpture, and his skills were greatly acclaimed and in demand during his lifetime. The present work, first...