Eros and Psyche by Canova: Neoclassical Sculpture
Eros and Psyche by Antonio Canova
Sculpture Details
- Location: Louvre Museum
- Artist: Antonio Canova
- Style: Neoclassicism
- Date: 1787-1793
- Technique: Sculpting
- Material: Marble
- Form: Free-standing sculpture
The 19th Century: A Time of Change
A) The nineteenth century was a time of profound political, economic, and cultural change. This era emphasized the Industrial Revolution and the French Revolution. Napoleon expanded French influence throughout Europe. The victorious European monarchies, absolute monarchies, were restored; this is known as the Restoration period.
B) Culture: Three major artistic movements are prominent in this stage: Neoclassicism, Realism, and Romanticism.
Neoclassical Sculpture
A) Evolution: During the second half of the eighteenth century, Neoclassical sculpture evolved towards compositions that emphasized contained volume, clarity, purity of contours, balance, and simplicity.
B) Characteristics:
- Predominant use of white marble.
- Themes from classical antiquity, especially mythology.
- Focus on ideal beauty, restful attitudes, and the severity and purity of ancient art.
- Common subjects include erotic nudes, individualized portraits, and equestrian portraits.
- Urban sculpture advanced, serving as reference points in road systems. Triumphal arches and columns were common forms.
Key Sculptors
A) Antonio Canova (1757-1822): His sculpture in Italy marked the transition from the late Baroque to Classicism. He imitated the models of ancient Greek works. He appreciated youth, and his sculptures often depicted gods and women, emphasizing their outer beauty. He preferred mythological themes, such as in *Eros and Psyche*.
B) Bertel Thorvaldsen: Inspired by Greek sculpture, he adopted a more severe style and focused on the heroic stage. Notable works include *Hope* and *Jason*.
Analysis of *Eros and Psyche*
A) Figures: Canova’s sculpture exhibits extraordinary formal perfection in its treatment of bodies. The two figures are intertwined, forming an X shape defined by Eros’s wings and the lower extremities of both figures. Their mouths occupy the center of the X. The positions of the hands and arms emphasize the passion and eroticism of the scene; he holds her chest while she places her hands over his head.
B) Movement: This X-shaped composition emphasizes the closeness between the two bodies and gives the sculpture a sense of motion. The lovers are close, and it is clear that they will be even closer in an instant. Canova’s goal was to impart movement to inert matter.
C) Material: The sculpture is polished with precision; there is no wear or wrinkle on the perfectly formed bodies of the two teenagers. Canova chose the whitest marble, and after finishing the work, he treated it with volcanic rock, milk of lime, and acid to make it resemble real skin. This treatment allows light, both clear and strong, to slide around the sculpture, creating a soft and blurred effect.
D) Color: Canova chose not to add color to his sculptures because Neoclassical theorists believed, erroneously, that this was not done in classical Greece.
Context and Meaning
A) Function: The work was commissioned by Lord Cawdor to decorate a room in his villa.
B) Mythology: Canova depicts the climactic moment of the Eros and Psyche myth, as recounted by the Latin writer Apuleius in *The Golden Ass*.