Canova's role as talent scout celebrated at Accademia di San Luca

The Accademia di San Luca in Rome is hosting an exhibition titled 'Canova. L'ultimo principe' to mark the bicentenary of Antonio Canova's death. The show draws from the academy's rarely displayed collection and archives, including recently restored works. Canova, who became a member in 1800 and was named Principe (the last to hold that title) in 1810, is celebrated not only as a sculptor but as a reformer of the academy's educational system. He personally funded two competitions for young artists—the Concorso dell'Anonimo and the Concorso Canova—and secured substantial financing from Napoleon. The exhibition includes works by competition participants such as Bartolomeo Pinelli, as well as Canova's plaster casts, which reinterpret classical statuary with emotional warmth rather than mere imitation. Curator Fabrizio Carinci highlights Canova's decisive role in developing the arts through these initiatives.