In the plaster cast room there is a masterpiece by Antonio Canova: the precious original plaster model of the Muse Terpsichore, signed and dated 1811.

This is an extraordinary work for its plastic sensitivity in the rendering of the pose and the drapery; it represents Terpsichore, Muse of dance and choral singing , as suggested by the lyre she holds in her left hand.

Giovanni Battista Sommariva also owned a marble version of this statue, which he kept in the bedroom of his Paris palace and was one of the pride of his collection. After his death, it was transferred to Italy by his heirs and is currently part of the collection of the Magnani Rocca Foundation in Mamiano di Traversetolo near Parma. Another autographed version is held at the Cleveland Museum of Art and was executed between 1814 and 1816 for the English collector Simon Houghton Clarke.

The history of the work

Antonio Canova (Possagno 1757 - Venice 1822) began work on the work in 1808 at the request of the Bonaparte family: the statue was to be a deified portrait of Alexandrine Bleschamps , wife of Lucien Bonaparte, Napoleon's younger brother. For reasons still unknown, Giovanni Battista Sommariva then took over the commission, creating his temple of Neoclassicism at Villa Carlotta (then Villa Sommariva) and purchasing and commissioning works of art by the most important artists of the time, including Antonio Canova. At the request of his new client and patron, Canova idealized the face and features, which were no longer those of Alexandrine Bleschamps.

Canova and Sommariva developed a relationship of mutual respect and trust, and among the artist's numerous works purchased and commissioned by the collector, Terpsichore was one of his favorites: his obsession and love for this sculpture were so strong that Sommariva purchased not only the marble statue (which was displayed in his Parisian palace) but also the plaster model to ensure the work's exclusivity.

“Her Firstborn and Only Begotten Daughter, my Spouse, is a delight to me and to all lovers and artists who never tire of coming to admire her repeatedly. Now she is in the square of my bed on the pedestal, which fits wonderfully there.”

So wrote Sommariva to Canova on March 31, 1813, emphatically calling the sculpture "my Bride." Ardently desired and desired by the patron, upon its arrival at Sommariva's Parisian home, the statue was placed at the foot of his bed, in keeping with the taste for sensuality typical of the nineteenth century: the aristocracy and the nascent bourgeoisie, unable to openly appreciate the bodies of naked women, surrounded themselves with works of art with a strong erotic charge, which was, however, justified and hidden beneath the nudity typical of classical works or the emerging taste for the Orient.

How Canova sculpted

The peculiarity of the plaster cast exhibited at Villa Carlotta is that it still bears intact the repères , traces of the creative process through which Canova brought his masterpieces to life. Antonio Canova rigorously organized his work to ensure complete control over every phase of the work. From the clay sketch, which embodied an initial idea for the work—often anticipated in drawings—he proceeded to the creation of a life-size clay model. This was created using a supporting skeleton composed of an iron rod (as tall as the work to be executed) as a base, which was connected to smaller metal rods topped with wooden crosspieces.

This was how Canova could evaluate the overall effect of his work before beginning to sculpt. The transition from the clay model to the plaster model was achieved using the lost-form technique: the clay model was covered with a light layer of reddish plaster and then with a further layer of white plaster, which, as it hardened, formed a true cast .

Once separated from the clay model, the cast was filled with plaster again to create a new three-dimensional model. As soon as the plaster hardened sufficiently, the external cast was destroyed, proceeding with the utmost caution when the reddish plaster appeared. The resulting plaster model was then fitted with small iron nails, which were used by the students as reference points and allowed the plaster measurements to be transferred to the marble block for rough-hewing .

The work was then ready to receive what Canova himself called the final touch : a phase of the work reserved exclusively for the master, who is said to have worked by candlelight to ensure perfect rendering of volumes and shadows. Others maintain that the master worked while listening to ancient texts, such as the Odyssey, recited aloud by assistants hired for this purpose.

To make his statues even more lifelike, Antonio Canova used to apply a special patina to the skin to convey the softness of skin. The purpose of the patina—obtained from a variety of materials, of which only rare traces remain today—was also to anticipate the effects of time, ensuring the work a sort of enduring harmony.