A Pair of Grand Tour Carved Verde Antico Marble Lions, After Antonio Canova

Description

A Fine Pair of Neoclassical Grand Tour Period Hand Carved Verde Antico Marble Figures of Recumbent Lions, After a Model by Antonio Canova (1757–1822) Each lion is carved in verde antico Marble and rests upon a stepped rectangular plinth. One lion lies with its head raised, eyes open and alert, while the other reclines with its head resting on its forepaws in sleep. Both are depicted with extended forelegs, muscular bodies, and curling tails, their manes deeply carved in dense, flowing curls that contrast with the smooth polish of the serpentine surfaces. The modeling conveys weight and repose, evoking both strength and calm. These sculptures follow the celebrated pair of marble lions created by Antonio Canova in 1792 for the tomb of Pope Clement XIII in St. Peter’s Basilica, Rome. Canova’s originals, carved from Carrara marble, are masterworks of Neoclassical sculpture, distinguished by their naturalistic anatomy and idealized serenity. The present pair translates that composition into serpentine, a material prized in the 19th century for its deep green hue and fine polish, which enhances the sculptural detail and emphasizes the lions’ organic forms. Canova’s lions became among the most admired and widely reproduced models of the 19th century, appearing in marble, bronze, and hardstone versions commissioned for palaces, villas, and museums across Europe. Notable examples include the pair at Chatsworth House, the seat of the Dukes of Devonshire. The enduring popularity of this design reflects its perfect synthesis of realism and ideal beauty. An almost identical Italian 19th-century pair, after Canova, was sold at Sotheby’s Important Furniture sale, Paris, 2021, confirming the continued reverence for Canova’s composition and its lasting place in the neoclassical sculptural tradition.

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