Canova, Hayez, Cicognara: The Last Glory of Venice at Gallerie dell'Accademia

The Gallerie dell'Accademia in Venice hosts the exhibition 'Canova, Hayez, Cicognara. L’ultima gloria di Venezia', marking two centuries since the institution's founding. The show explores the interconnected patronage and artistic revival led by Count Leopoldo Cicognara, Antonio Canova, and Francesco Hayez. Cicognara, president of the Accademia di Belle Arti di Venezia from 1808, championed cultural recovery after Napoleon's plunder, aided by Canova's campaign to retrieve artworks from France. He also promoted emerging talent, notably Hayez, who studied under Canova in Rome. Over 100 works trace personal and political narratives, opening with the 1815 return of the San Marco horses. Key pieces include Canova's 'La musa Polimnia' (1812-17), reunited in Venice for the first time in 200 years, and Hayez's 'Rinaldo e Armida' (1812-13). Cicognara secured the acquisition of Giuseppe Bossi's graphic collection (including drawings by Leonardo, Raphael, and Michelangelo) in 1822, and converted a tribute for Emperor Francis I's wedding into commissions for local artists, including Hayez's 'Pietà di Ezechia'. Hayez later moved to Milan after Canova's death in 1822, achieving romantic success.