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On July 2, 1958, Vatican City released a set of four stamps commemorating the 200th anniversary of the birth of renowned Neoclassical sculptor Antonio Canova. The stamps are shown below in the text of today's Daily Email. Canova was born on November 1, 1757, in Possagno, in the Republic of Venice. He was apprenticed to a sculptor at an early age, and opened his own studio in Venice in 1775. By 1778, he had produced his first important work, Daedalus and Icarus. His Neoclassical style combined elements from classical antiquity and the more modern Baroque schools, producing figures that were very realistic and life-like. He settled in Rome in 1780 and eventually was granted commissions for the tombs of Popes Clement XIII and Clement XIV. In 1802 he became court sculptor to Napoleon I in Paris. During this time he produced two of his most acclaimed works, Napoleon as Mars the Peacemaker and Pauline Bonaparte as Venus Victrix. In 1816, he returned to Rome, following the fall of Napoleon. He helped return many items of Italian art looted by the French during the Napoleonic era. Pope Pius VII awarded him the title of "Marquis of Ischia" as recognition for his efforts.  Plaster replica of Statue of George Washington by Antonio Canova At the North Carolina Museum of History From Wikimedia Commons, in the Public Domain In an interesting historical sidelight, Canova was commissioned to produce a monument to George Washington, portrayed in ancient Roman attire. The structure, erected at Raleigh, NC, in 1821, was destroyed by fire in 1830. A plaster replica of this work is shown above. The stamps from the 1958 stamp set are shown below, with photos of the four sculptures of popes: 
 
 
 Papal Tomb Monuments by Antonio Canova Pope Clement XIII: Saint Peter's Basilica (Rome) Pope Clement XIV: Basilica dei Santi XII Apostoli (Rome) Pope Pius VI: Crypt of St. Peter's Basilica (Rome) 
 Pope Pius VII: Replica in the Vatican Museums All photos from Wikimedia Commons, in the Public Domain In addition to the stamps shown above, Canova and his works have appeared on three additional Vatican City issues. Scott 90 is from the Pontifical Academy issue of 1944. The second, Scott 1685, shows one of his most striking pieces, Presius Triumphant, from the European Year of Cultural Heritage issue of 2018. He was also honored on the Vatican postcards issued in 2022 to commemorate the bicentennial of his death. 
 Pontifical Academy Issue (Scott 90, 1944) European Year of Cultural Heritage (Scott 1685, 2018) Antonio Canova: 200th Anniversary of Death (Postcard Set, 2022 Antonio Canova, arguably the dominant European sculptor of the late 18th and early 19th century, died in Venice in 1822. REFERENCES: |
