Paris Leaning on Tree Stump, Back View, from Oeuvre de Canova 1817

This print of Antonio Canova’s sculpture Paris Leaning on Tree Stump is from an era when plaster casts and engravings were critical ways to circulate knowledge about art. Here, the material is ink on paper, but the image documents a marble sculpture, painstakingly carved. The print flattens and disseminates the three-dimensional work. The original sculpture, made by Canova and his workshop, would have been a demonstration of skill and the Italian sculptor's access to high quality marble was highly prized. Look at the gradations of shadow that the engraver has given us. These were achieved through careful layering of fine lines, mimicking the texture of the carved stone. Prints like these democratized art, but also served as advertisements of Canova’s genius, reinforcing his brand for wealthy patrons. So while this work on paper feels far removed from the stone sculpture it represents, both are tied to systems of labor, class, and artistic reputation.