A Canova Bust of Joachim Murat, King of Naples

The rediscovery of a portrait bust of Joachim Murat, King of Naples, by the great Italian sculptor, is hugely significant for scholars. By 1813, Italian Neoclassical sculptor Antonio Canova was the most celebrated artist in Europe. The son and grandson of quarry-owning stonemasons, his reputation had grown enough to secure pivotal commissions from popes, royals and even the government of the fledgling United States. At the same time, Joachim Murat, then King of Naples, was at the pinnacle of his own career. The son of an innkeeper, Murat had climbed the French military ranks to become one of Napoleon’s most trusted advisors — so much so that the French Emperor offered Murat his sister Caroline’s hand in marriage. The Murats fostered a glittering artistic court in Naples, and one of the highlights of their patronage was to commission their own portraits in marble from Canova. Find out more: http://ift.tt/2zAQfPt