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He now contemplated
a great work, a
colossal statue of
Religion. The model
filled Italy with
admiration; the
marble was procured,
and the chisel of
the sculptor ready
to be applied to it,
when the jealousy of
churchmen as to the
site, or some other
cause, deprived the
country of the
projected work. The
mind of Canova was
inspired with the
warmest sense of
devotion, and though
foiled in this
instance he resolved
to consecrate a
shrine to the cause.
In his native
village he began to
make preparations
for erecting a
temple which was to
contain, not only
the above statue,
but other works of
his own; within its
precincts were to
repose also the
ashes of the
founder. Accordingly
he repaired to
Possagno in 1819.
After the
foundation-stone of
this edifice had
been laid, Canova
returned to Rome;
but every succeeding
autumn he continued
to visit Possagno,
in order to direct
the workmen, and
encourage them with
pecuniary rewards
and medals. |
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In the meantime the
vast expenditure
exhausted his
resources, and
compelled him to
labor with unceasing
assiduity
notwithstanding age
and disease. During
the period which
intervened between
commencing
operations at
Possagno and his
decease, he executed
or finished some of
his most striking
works. Amongst these
were the group Mars
and Venus, the
colossal figure of
Pius VI, the Pietà,
the St John, the
recumbent Magdalen.
The last performance
which issued from
his hand was a
colossal bust of his
friend, the Count
Cicognara. |
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In May 1822 he paid
a visit to Naples,
to superintend the
construction of wax
moulds for an
equestrian statue of
the perjured Bourbon
king Ferdinand VII.
This journey
materially injured
his health, but he
rallied again on his
return to Rome.
Towards the latter
end of the year he
paid his annual
visit to the place
of his birth, when
he experienced a
relapse. He
proceeded to Venice,
and expired there at
the age of nearly
sixty-five. His
disease was one
which had affected
him from an early
age, caused by the
continual use of
carving-tools,
producing a
depression of the
ribs. The most
distinguished
funeral honors were
paid to his remains,
which were deposited
in the temple at
Possagno on 25
October 1822. His
heart was interred
in a marble pyramid
he designed as a
mausoleum for the
painter Titian in
the church of Santa
Maria Gloriosa dei
Frari in Venice, now
a monument to the
sculptor. |
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Monument to Canova
in the Basilica di
Santa Maria Gloriosa
dei Frari, designed
by Canova as a
mausoleum for the
painter Titian. |
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Region |
Veneto |
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Province |
Belluno. |
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Elevation |
325 m |
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Population |
20,560 |
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Demonym |
Feltrini |
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Time |
CET(UTC+1) |
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Postal |
32032 |
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Dialing |
0439 |
|
Patron |
St.
Victor |
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