Canova: La Riconoscenza

A rediscovered masterpiece by the most important sculptor of Neoclassicism.

Antonio Canova (1757–1822) invented a new genre with his “ideal heads.” They were intended as gifts for close friends and persons he admired as an expression of his affection and gratitude. Starting with his famous bust, La Riconoscenza, this magnificent large-format volume offers an impressive survey of his unique expressions of friendship.

La Riconoscenza, Canova’s masterpiece, was long thought to have been lost. Created as a tribute to his most important critic, the cultural theorist Quatremère de Quincy, the sculpture was commissioned by the artist Marquise de Grollier as a gift for their mutual friend. Together, these three distinguished individuals left their mark on the cultural life of their time. Here, Fernando Mazzocca traces the history of the genesis of "La Riconocenza" through the remarkable correspondence of Canova, de Grollier, and de Quincy.