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but perhaps not in a way that will please the gentle sex." Bonaparte smiled. The work being finished, the artist was entertained in the most flattering style by the consul, and all Paris talked of the favours he received. He was presented to the National Institute, of which he was a member, and when taking his leave of Bonaparte the latter said to him, " Go, commend me to the pope, and tell him you have heard me preach the liberty of the Christian world." On his return to Rome, orders for work came to him from every part of Europe, and more than he could possibly execute. The statue of the first consul, when finished, was subjected to the severest test of criticism, and Denon even wrote strictures on its nudity; but it was triumphantly vindicated by the rules of art, and the usages of antiquity. The Roman emperors were never seen with the toga, except when officiating in the pontifical functions, when the head was veiled. The toga was the civil imperial habit, and thus the illustrious men of Greece, Pindar, Euripides, Demosthenes, Aristotle, Aristides, had only a large Greek mantle thrown in a picturesque manner on the naked body. Thus, in the frieze of the Parthenon, where Phidias represents the procession of the Panathenæ, the Athenian nobles are represented either naked or with the short military jacket--never had they any other costume.

The ancient artists employed vestments for decency in their representations of women, and goddesses, except in that of Venus coming from the bath, or the nymphs from the lakes. Afterwards they admitted garments only as ornaments, or as characteristic emblems. But we can never use the modern costume in sculpture to please the eye of taste, because of its angular and uncouth forms; and the frequent change of fashion would be an additional objection. The artist in stone wishes to consecrate his works to all nations and to all succeeding ages. He says with Zeuxis, "I work for eternity." After hot controversy, the triumph of Canova every where was complete. David, the celebrated painter, wrote him, "You have done for posterity as much as human skill could do, and you have left to mediocrity its habitual consolation, the endeavour to destroy merit."

Canova, at this time, re-established the Academy of St. Luke, with the assistance of the pope, and gave to that institution the salary allowed him as inspector-general.

After executing the celebrated monument to Christina, Archduchess of Austria, and going to Vienna, he returned and achieved his beautiful Venus of the Bath, now in the gallery at Florence, and placed alongside of the Venus de Medicis. He made two copies of this; one for the King of Bavaria, and the other for the Prince of Canino; and Lord Hope, wanting

a third, the artist could not refuse it, but being weary of copying, made a model with less drapery, with which he himself was better satisfied than with the other. The inantle is removed from the breast; it has a more perfect oval on the sides, and a physiognomy more spiritual; the attitude is also better, owing to the position of the lower limbs. Soon after, he made the Dancers, which silenced all opposition in the French capital.

Madame Recamier, one of the most beautiful women in France, was exiled from her country, and went to Rome, in 1813; Canova became intimate with her, and immortalised her by the beautiful bust of Beatrice, which he modeled from memory.

After the extinction of the civil government of the pope, by Napoleon, our artist was so mortified at the disgrace of the Italian name, by the capital of the world becoming the head of a French province, that he wished to decline all public honours. This was impossible; for Napoleon appointed him Director of the Museum of the Vatican, by an imperial decree of 25th February, 1811, which post he only consented to accept, under a solemn promise that nothing more should ever be taken out of it.

In 1809, the Spanish pensioners at Rome were 'all sent to the Castle of St. Angelo, for refusing allegiance to the government of Joseph at Madrid. Here Canova showed the goodness of his heart, in acts of the greatest kindness to these distressed artists. Alvarez, a worthy Spanish sculptor, was deprived of every aid from his country, and his works remained unsold in his studio. The Spanish minister at Milan proposed to Prince Eugene Beauharnais, then Viceroy of Italy, to purchase some of these works, in order to assist Alvarez. The prince wrote to Canova, to know their value. Canova replied, with great magnanimity and frankness" The works of Alvarez remain unsold in his studio, only because they are not in mine.”

It had long been desired by the imperial court at Paris, that Canova should make it his permanent place of residence. Accordingly, he was informed officially, that Napoleon invited him to Paris, either for a short time, or to make it his abode. The invitation added-"That on account of the esteem in which his imperial majesty held the talents of the artist, he wished his counsel in completing the works of art in France, which were to eternize the splendour of his reign." The letter was most flattering to Canova, and referred to the great honours which were probably intended for him by the emperor. The artist was at Florence when he received it, and was not a little embarrassed from fear of being compelled to reside in Paris

during the remainder of his life. He begged off in the most eloquent manner; witness the following sentence in his letter.

"I have been accustomed, from my childhood, to study and solitude; to a life entirely secluded, with not robust health, which requires regulating and defending; my sensibility and timidity are entirely beyond control in any thing which is not intimately connected with my profession; whenever I should change such a system of living, which is my element, I should die to my own happiness, and to the art for which I live."

Through the influence of Cardinal Fesch, and Denon, he was not retained at Paris longer than he desired.

Canova departed immediately, and arrived at Fontainebleau on the 11th October 1810, where he was kindly received by the grand marshal of the palace, and the next day was appointed for his presentation to the emperor.

One of the most interesting passages of Missirini's volume, is a long dialogue between the emperor and the sculptor, which, on the part of the former, is particularly curious and characteristic. But we abstain from quoting it here, as a translation of it has been widely circulated through the United States in the newspapers.

Soon after, the emperor made an ample provision for the Academy of St. Luke, and Canova, loaded with honours, had the superintendence of the school, and of most of the things connected with his art. Our artist, always busy, had little time to write on subjects of his profession, yet his defence of his works against the cavils of the numerous critics is dispassionate, judicious, and dignified, with the true spirit of learning and research. His favourite maxim to young men was, "bisogna operare e non iscrivere," and surely no one ever practised more faithfully the principles he inculcated. His thoughts on the arts are replete with sound good sense, expressed in the most plain, simple, and striking style.

"I always study to arrive at my end by the shortest and most simple way; as that blow which comes most direct, does most execution. Hence I shall be able to leave all vain and distracting ornaments behind."

"In social life," he remarks, "I have observed that courteous, agreeable, graceful men, always get the advantage of the severe and austere. Grace has an attraction which conquers all hearts. The same happens in the arts. With grace you are certain to please; but observe, that as he who in society affects grace and does not possess it, becomes awkward and disagreeable, so the artist who studies grace too much, instead of delighting, displeases. Hold to the just medium. And this I say; you must possess the innate principles in order to be graceful, and if you are cold, or wanting in this essential part, you need not endeavour to obtain it. Your case is desperate. You may pursue the rigorous branch of the art, for even in austerity there is glory to be gained."

A nobleman, one morning, came into his studio, where he saw one of the Venuses, and asked him where he found the model for such superhuman beauty, and besought him to let him see and become acquainted with the celestial being. Canova consented, and the day was appointed when the original should visit the place. The gentleman arrived, full of agreeable anticipations, and the artist showed him one of the most homely women he could find.-The man was dumb with astonishment--but Canova, who was intimate with him, laughed, and told him it was impossible to see so perfect a beauty with material eyes, it could only be done with the eyes of the soul assisted by the noble maxims and rules of art.

While employed on one of his dancing nymphs, a friend came in, and seeing his great patience and assiduity in working on the nails of the fingers, said to him, "This statue already appears divine; do you think people will examine a hair when there is so much beauty?" "It is care," he replied, "which recommends our art, and I have to work more on the nails; these things are usually neglected in sculpture, and yet the ancients took great pains with them; the Venus de Medicis has them finished with wonderful precision and beauty. And why should we not attend to them? Surely it was not without wisdom that the ancients used the saying, 'perfect even to the nails,' to signify a complete work."

After Italy fell under the gigantic power of Napoleon, it was in vain that the Italians complained and protested against the removal of nearly all their beautiful statues and pictures-but the emperor, inexorable to their grief, thought only of pleasing the French nation, decorating his capital, and above all of his own victories and glory. In vain they presented to him the example of the Romans,-of Fabius Maximus, who earned the thanks of the senate after the taking of Tarentum, for not having carried away any of the statues from the city,-the censures passed on Marcellus, after the capture of Syracuse, for having brought odium on the city of Rome, in taking not only the men as prisoners to adorn his triumphs, but even their gods. Equally vain was the citation of the example, spoken of by Cicero, of Scipio; who restored to the Sicilians their monuments of art wrested from the Carthaginians. All were transported to Paris.

In 1815, when the allied powers entered the capital of France, it was determined that these elegant monuments should be restored to their former owners. Canova was chosen as the proper person to attend to this business. Who could do it better than the great prince of the arts, and who could better conciliate the people, than one so much beloved by them and their former sovereign? Accordingly, he was informed by VOL. XVIII.-NO. 37.

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Pope Pius VII, that he had been appointed to the performance of this duty, and on the 28th August, 1815, he arrived at Paris. His instructions from the Holy See were, first to present the subject to the consideration of the king of France, and in case of an absolute refusal, to make a strong remonstrance to the allied sovereigns. This he accomplished with singular ability, and through the aid of the British and Austrian ambassadors finally was told, that he might proceed to his work of removing the monuments, pictures, &c.

Prince Metternich gave orders that an adequate guard of Austrian and Prussian soldiers should escort Canova to the museum to take away what belonged to Rome. The French were highly exasperated, and not only refused any assistance, but threw obstacles in the way, as well as sharp provocations, in hopes to retard the removal and ultimately prevent it, as the allied armies were to be removed in six days from Paris.— Prince Schwarzemburg, however, furnished more troops, and with the aid of foreign artists all the principal works were collected and despatched. The pope, to show his friendship and love for the king, presented the French museum with several chefs-d'œuvre.

The joy at the arrival of these precious relics in Italy can only be imagined after recollecting the enthusiastic love among the people for the fine arts. The Duke of Parma offered a million of francs to preserve in his possession a single picture by Correggio, and when this was refused and the picture taken away, he placed, where it stood, a black table in perpetual remembrance of his loss and his sorrow.

Canova visited London, where he was received with the greatest attention, hospitality and honour. Among other things there, he saw the marbles taken from the Parthenon, at Athens, by Lord Elgin, and transported to London. Respecting his visit he wrote to his friend, Quatremère, at Paris, as follows:

"My dear and best friend, behold me in London. Astonishing capital, beautiful streets, fine parks, and most noble bridges; great cleanliness, and what is most surprising, we see all combining for the wellbeing of humanity.

"I have seen the fine marbles brought from Greece. Of the bas-reliefs we have already had an idea from engravings; and of the figures also we have had models in clay, but of the large figures, in which the artist can truly show his skill and knowledge, we knew nothing.

"If it be true that these are the works of Phidias, or done under his direction, or that his hand finished them, this shows clearly that the great masters were true imitators of beautiful nature. There is nothing affected, nothing exaggerated or stiff: that is, none of those parts which would be called conventional or geometrical.

"I conclude that the many statues which we possess with these exaggerations, owe them to as many different artists, who copied them in order to send the beautiful Greek works to Rome.

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