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Lot Essay
Antonio Canova designed three marble sculptures of female dancers, known as, 'Dancer With Hands on Hips', 'Dancer With Finger Touching Her Chin', and 'Dancer With Cymbals', executed between 1805 and 1814. Fred Licht states in his book Canova, Abbeville Press 1983 '...Canova had already prepared the way with earlier experiments: The Dance of the Sons of Alcinous (plate 258) and Hebe (plate 162). Although these three dancers do not have any of the conventional attributes of divinities or mythological figures, they can be included among the mythologies because Canova himself variously referred to the first among them (plate 192) as Muse of the Dance, Nymph of the Dance, or Erato, Muse of Amorous Dancing.'
Canova was renowned for his neo-classical sculpture which skilfully intertwined Antique influences with modern artistic ideals. Like many famous models of the late 18th and early 19th centuries, his works were reproduced by Italian workshops at the turn of the 20th century to meet a burgeoning European and American demand for reproductions of famed Roman sculptures.
Canova was renowned for his neo-classical sculpture which skilfully intertwined Antique influences with modern artistic ideals. Like many famous models of the late 18th and early 19th centuries, his works were reproduced by Italian workshops at the turn of the 20th century to meet a burgeoning European and American demand for reproductions of famed Roman sculptures.