"The Three Graces" by Canova. Italy, 19th century.

ITALIAN SCHOOL, late 19th century.
Based on the model by ANTONIO CANOVA (Possagno, 1757 – Venice, 1822).
“The Three Graces.”
White Carrara marble.
Provenance: Belgian private collection.
Measurements: 83 x 51 x 30 cm.

A remarkable sculptural group in Carrara marble created in the late 19th century after Antonio Canova’s “The Three Graces,” one of the most celebrated compositions in European neoclassical sculpture. This work reproduces, in a smaller scale and with meticulous carving, the second version conceived by Canova for John Russell, 6th Duke of Bedford, created between 1815 and 1817 and currently jointly held by the Victoria and Albert Museum and the National Galleries of Scotland.

Canova radically transformed the traditional iconography of Aglaia, Euphrosyne, and Thalia by bringing them together in an intimate circular embrace. In contrast to earlier depictions, in which one of the figures typically appeared with her back turned, the sculptor conceived the three figures as intertwined through their arms, gazes, and a delicate drapery, creating a cohesive and extraordinarily harmonious composition intended to be viewed from various angles.

This marble sculpture specifically follows the second version of Canova’s model, characterized by the cylindrical pedestal at the back adorned with a garland of flowers and ribbons. The close arrangement of the figures, the alternation of profiles and faces, and the interlacing of the arms create a continuous rhythm that guides the eye around the group. Particular attention should be paid to the carving of the hair, arranged in complex, classically inspired hairstyles, as well as to the treatment of the hands and the drapery, whose folds contrast with the polished surfaces of the bodies.

The extraordinary popularity achieved by *The Three Graces* made this model one of Canova’s greatest emblems and led to the creation of versions and smaller-scale reproductions in the leading Italian sculpture workshops throughout the 19th century. There are known Italian marble examples of similar chronology and scale, including a version approximately 81 cm tall dated around 1880, which places this group within that important tradition of sculptural reproduction intended for international collectors.