Canova's European Genius Explored in Bassano del Grappa Exhibition

The Museo Civico di Bassano del Grappa presents 'Io, Canova. Genio europeo', a major exhibition reconstructing the artist's Roman studio and exploring his pan-European influence. The show features around 140 works, including terracottas, plasters, drawings, and paintings from Canova's private collection—shown for the first time—alongside loans from international museums. The exhibition is divided into three sections: a reconstruction of Canova's atelier in via delle Colonnette, his relationships with European patrons (including King George IV, banker Alexander Baring, and Princess Leopoldina Esterházy Liechtenstein), and his complex ties with Napoleon Bonaparte. A notable highlight is the documentation of Canova's 1815 mission as Commissario straordinario for Pope Pius VII, recovering 249 artworks looted by Napoleon from Paris, including works by Veronese, Caravaggio, and the Laocoon plaster. The exhibition was originally to include loans from the Hermitage and the National Museum of Kyiv, but these were canceled due to the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Curators express hope for future reunification of Canova's works from Russia and Ukraine.