19th-Century Sculpture Exhibition at Palazzo Cucchiari, Carrara

A major exhibition at Palazzo Cucchiari in Carrara showcases 19th-century Italian sculpture, featuring works by Antonio Canova and Bertel Thorvaldsen, alongside pupils like Pietro Tenerani, Luigi Bienaimé, Carlo Finelli, and later Lorenzo Bartolini and Giovanni Dupré. The show highlights the return of Apuan marbles from the Hermitage collections and documents the success of Italian artists abroad, particularly in Russia, where collectors like the Jusupov princes and Tsar Nicholas I acquired works. The rivalry between Canova and Thorvaldsen is explored, with Thorvaldsen's precise classicism contrasting Canova's poetic license and Venetian colorism. Bartolini's naturalistic approach, influenced by his Parisian apprenticeship with Jacques-Louis David, marks a shift toward Romanticism, exemplified by his scandalous use of a crippled model. The exhibition also covers the role of Elisa Baciocchi, Napoleon's sister, who boosted local production through the Banco Elisiano. Dupré's veristic style, seen in 'Sonno dell'Innocenza,' anticipates Vincenzo Vela. The exhibition runs at Palazzo Cucchiari, promoted by Fondazione Conti to revitalize Carrara's cultural heritage.