Antonio Canova Genius of Death 1789 marble Hermitage, Saint Petersburg |
"The head of the Genius of Death is part of a statue that was intended for the tomb of Pope Clement XIII (reigned 1758-69) inside St Peter's in Rome. The tomb was commissioned from Antonio Canova in 1784 by the Roman senator Prince Abbondio Rezzonico and his brothers, who were nephews of the late pontiff. The tomb is marked by a clear and simple compositional structure. On the top is a statue of the kneeling Pope that won the admiration of the many spectators who attended the unveiling of the monument in 1792 for its portrait resemblance and expressiveness. On the one side of the sarcophagus, which resembles an Ancient Roman one, Canova placed a stern figure embodying Religion; on the other, at the foot of the sarcophagus, leaning on an expiring torch, sits the sad genius of death. When this statue was almost complete Canova discovered coloured patches on the marble and he had to redo the whole figure."
– curator's notes from the Hermitage
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