Masterpieces: Canova's Eros and Psyche & Rodin's The Thinker

Eros and Psyche by Canova

Dates

1787-1793

Technique

Height

Material

Marble

Composition

This sculpture is a formal perfection regarding the treatment of bodies. The two figures are intertwined and form an X defined by the wings of Eros and lower limbs. All contribute to the sculpture's movement. The two mouths occupy the middle of the X. The positions of the hands and arms highlight the passion and eroticism of the scene; while he gently holds her breast, she passes her hands behind his head. Canova aimed at inert matter. The material is polished, with no wear and no wrinkle on the treatment of bodies. This enables light, strong and clear, to slide all over the sculpture, causing a sweet, soft blur.

Style

Neoclassicism

Significance and Function

Canova depicts the climax of the myth of Eros and Psyche as told by the writer Apuleius. Eros and Psyche, which symbolizes both love and carnal passion, reveals Canova's exceptional interest in human feelings. It was commissioned by Lord Cawdor to decorate the living room of his villa. After it was stolen by Murat, Napoleon's trusted man, the emperor was so astonished by it that he decided to protect the artist.

The Thinker by Rodin

Dates

1880-1900

Technique

Cast

Material

Bronze

Composition

The Thinker illustrates a naked man, with arms, hands, and feet quite exaggerated, in a reflective attitude. This sculpture has an unprecedented naturalism rarely seen since classical times. Characteristic: The figure seems to emerge from the material. Rodin did not try to make a likeness of the poet. The artist wanted to symbolize the tortured expression of thought in realizing the tragic fate of humanity. All his muscles are tense, strained with effort. Strong shadows help convey the suffering of the thinker. His right elbow rests on his left knee, and his right hand supports his chin.

Style

Impressionism

Significance and Function

The Thinker is a man in a thinking attitude, although at first it was intended to represent Dante contemplating the Gates of Hell, inspired by the poet's Inferno. It was commissioned by the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris as part of a larger project, The Gates of Hell, inspired by Dante's Divine Comedy. This ambitious project included 186 figures and was never fully completed.