CANOVA, Antonio
(b. 1757, Possagno, d. 1822, Venezia)

Tomb of Pope Clement XIII (detail)

1792
Marble
Basilica di San Pietro, Vatican

One of Canova's most moving achievements in the papal tombs was the portrayal of Death on the tomb of Clement XIII. In place of the Christian image of a frightened skeleton so popular with medieval and Baroque artists, he shows a beautiful mourning youth with a turned-down torch.




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