In the sunny land of Italy, in the obscure little village of Possagno
near Venice, there once lived a little lad whose name was Antonio
Canova. As he was left an orphan at three years old he dwelt with his
grandfather, who earned his living by cutting figures and ornaments out
of stone. The old man took the greatest care of his grandson and wished
to train Antonio to become a stone-cutter too, so with this end in view
the boy was taught drawing. He soon showed great talent, and when he
began to model birds and flowers in clay, he succeeded so well that his
grandfather was both astonished and delighted. Even in his ninth year he
made two beautiful marble shrines which can be seen to this day.
One day a nobleman called Giovanni Falieri, who was about to give a
large dinner party, asked old Canova to make him some ornament for the
table. He said he did not care what it was, but wanted something new and
uncommon. There was but little time before the date fixed for the party,
and the old stone-cutter tried in vain to think of a suitable object.
Seeing his grandfather so troubled, Antonio said to him, "I think I can
make something to please his lordship. If you will let me have some good
hard butter I will make him a butter lion."
"That is an excellent idea," replied the old man. And he sent for the
butter at once.
Antonio set to work, and very soon he had shaped a lion's head, with
fine flowing mane, out of the creamy mass. Then followed a beautifully
formed body and limbs.
[Illustration: A CLEVER PUPIL]
[Illustration: CANOVA'S BUTTER LION]
When the animal was complete his grandfather looked at it with intense
pride and admiration, and it was carefully carried to his lordship. It
attracted a great deal of attention at the dinner party, and amid cries
of wonderment was passed from hand to hand. When the nobleman and his
guests heard that it was the work of a boy, they expressed a great
desire to see the talented young artist. Antonio was sent for, and his
lordship was so impressed with his talent that he promised to see that
he had the best masters, and that he was given every chance to succeed
in his profession.
Giovanni Falieri nobly kept his word, and placed him as a pupil under
Bernardi, or as he is usually called Torretti, a famous Venetian
sculptor, who happened to be staying in a neighbouring village at the
time. By the aid of this kind friend, and the power of his own genius,
Antonio became a world-renowned sculptor. And not only was he a famous
sculptor, but he was even entrusted with great affairs of state.
When the great Napoleon conquered Italy he carried off most unjustly
hundreds of priceless works of art, and when the tyrant was overthrown
the young Canova was sent as ambassador to Paris to find the whereabouts
of these works. For these and other services he was made by the Pope
Marquis of Ischia, and given a pension of 3000 scudi. But Canova was
very good and generous and he devoted all this pension for the relief of
his poor brother artists. Thus the little figure of the butter lion
proved to be the stepping-stone to fame.
[Illustration]