Antonio Canova (1757-1822)

Antonio Canova is an Italian sculptor from the Republic of Venice, famous for his marble sculptures that delicately illustrate bare flesh. They include Psyche Revived by Cupid's Kiss(1793) and The Three Graces (1814). His work, considered the epitome of the Neoclassical style, marks a return to classical refinement after the excesses of baroque sculpture. A self-described amateur painter, Antonio Canova pursued this activity between 1780 and 1799, helping him define his own canons of feminine beauty.