The famous Neoclassical sculptor Antonio Canova worked in Italy and abroad, particularly for the French royal court. The first wife of Napoleon, Giuseppina di Beauharnais, commissioned the sculpture to the Italian artist. The artwork was so successful that Giuseppina’s sons and the Duke of Bedford competed for having it. At the end Eugenio di Beauharnais brought it to Russia and today the artwork is located in the Hermitage Museum, whereas the Duke of Bedford commissioned a replica, today at the Victoria and Albert Museum.
Canova draws from classical mythology, he represents Zeus’ daughters: the Three Graces that spread all over the world splendour, joy and prosperity. It’s the perfect subject to represent the artist’s ideal of beauty, that was the same of Winckelmann’s. The three women are embraced without turning their backs to the audience. The perfect representation of the thin layer and of the flowing and elaborate hair shows the artist’s exceptional skill.
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