Paolina Borghese as Venus Victrix 1808

Editor: Here we have Antonio Canova's "Paolina Borghese as Venus Victrix," sculpted in marble around 1808. There's something incredibly sensual and almost theatrical about it. How do you interpret this work? Curator: Sensual and theatrical is spot on, wouldn't you say? Canova had such a delicious knack for blurring the lines between mythology, portraiture, and pure, unadulterated… gossip! What I see here isn't just a goddess but a clever commentary on Paolina herself – Napoleon's sister. Doesn't she look utterly relaxed, completely in charge? That golden apple in her hand… is it a prize, a temptation, or perhaps a sly acknowledgement of her own beauty? I always wonder. What does that golden apple mean to you? Editor: That’s a wonderful point. I'd assumed it was an allusion to the Judgment of Paris, but framed like this it does suggest self-possession! The story then becomes less about divine judgement and more about Paolina’s power as a woman in society. It feels intentional. Curator: Intentionality is the question isn’t it? How much is a flattering likeness, how much a statement? Canova lets us, or perhaps compels us, to bring ourselves, our own ideas about beauty and power, to the sculpture. It becomes, almost, a mirror. What did you take away from seeing the work now? Editor: Well, it is interesting how Canova elevates Paolina to mythical status and captures the politics of the time so beautifully! And how gossip itself shapes art. Thanks for pointing this out to me.