Antonio Canova & The Three Graces

Zoë Atkinson Fiennes, Founder

Feb 16, 2018

Updated: Jun 3, 2020

Rome, Italy

Many will be familiar with the exquisite marble sculpture The Three Graces by Italian sculptor Antonio Canova, an artist who was considered the greatest Neoclassical sculptor of his age. Finding myself in Rome this week I knew it was high time I made a personal visit to one of Canova’s studios to express my gratitude for the beauty and inspiration he left behind in this world. The name Three Graces Galleries, our logo, and more importantly the founding philosophy of the project are all inspired by the Graces; Thalia, Euphrosyne and Aglaia who often attend on Aphrodite in the realm of art and literature. They are the daughters of Jupiter (or Zeus in Greek mythology).

Thalia, Euphrosyne and Aglaia have been much celebrated in classical literature and art, but for me it is the refinement, emotion and tenderness with which Antonio Canova was able to bring these deities to life, that elevates this particular artwork to the realm of eternal art. The sculpture needs no introduction nor translation, it speaks directly to the human spirit, through its embodiment of the essences of the Graces themselves.

The Three Graces Galleries project was founded to shine a light on Italian contemporary art in particular, but it is also a search for the splendour, beauty and natural adornment that the Graces represent. We are looking for contemporary artworks that speak directly to and in some way elevate the human spirit, which is in essence the power of great art.

Studio Canova Tadolini can be found in Via del Babuino in Rome. It was adopted by Canova in 1818 at the height of his fame in Europe and was devoted to the practice of sculpture, with his most gifted student Adamo Tadolini in mind. Today the studio contains many sculptures including but not limited to those of Antonio Canova and Adamo Tadolini.