French school of the beginning of the XIXth century, after Antonio CANOVA (1757-1822). Bust of Hebe. Bronze with brown patina. Height : 39,5 cm 39,5 cm - Width : 22 cm Related literature: - Mario Praz, L'opera completa del Canova, Rizzoli Editore, Milan, 1976, p.97 ; - Stefano Grandosso and Fernando Mazzocca, Canova Thorvaldsen la nascita della scultura moderna, edizioni Gallerie d'Italia / Skira, Milan, 2019, pp.266-267 and 377. Related works: - Antonio Canova, Hebe, 1796, marble, 160 cm, Alte Nationalgalerie, Berlin, Nr.BI31 ; - Antonio Canova, Hebe, 1808-1814, marble, 166.5 cm, Chatsworth House; - Antonio Canova, Hebe, between 1800 and 1805, marble, 161 cm, commissioned by Josephine de Beauharnais, Saint Petersburg, Hermitage Museum, Inv.H.CK-16 ; - Antonio Canova, Hebe, 1816-1817, marble, 166 cm Museo San Domenico, Romagna, inv. N.550. Our bronze is a bust version of the famous marble statue of Hebe executed in 1796 by Canova. Four copies of the full-length version are known, and are considered to be autographs. Three of these are now in the Alte Nationalgalerie in Berlin, in Chatsworth in the United Kingdom and in the Museo di San Domenico in Romagna. A fourth version, commissioned by Josephine de Beauharnais, was exhibited at the Salon in Paris in 1808 and has been in the Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg since 1814. Here, as throughout his career, Canova sought to create a form of ideal beauty inspired by antiquity that he wanted to be harmonious, lyrical, delicate, natural and meditative. Our bronze version of the head of Hebe, with its thick and regular casting and numerous and careful cold working, was probably executed in France, at the beginning of the 19th century, at the time of the craze caused by the presentation at the Salon of the commission of Josephine de Beauharnais. Expert : Cabinet Sculpture Collection - Mr Alexandre Lacroix and Mrs Elodie Jeannest de Gyvès - 01 83 97 02 06 - a.lacroix@sculptureetcollection.com