Book-bot.com - read famous books online for free

Biographies of Working Men by Grant Allen
page 57 of 154 (37%)
Canova, the great Venetian sculptor, was the head of artistic
society in Rome; and as ALL society in Rome is more or less
artistic, he might almost be said to have led the whole life of the
great and lively city. Indeed, the position of such a man in Italy
resembles far more that of a duke in England than of an artist as
we here are accustomed to think of him. Gibson had letters of
introduction to this prince of sculptors from his London friends;
and when he went to present them, he found Canova in his studio,
surrounded by his numerous scholars and admirers. The Liverpool
stone-cutter had brought a few of his drawings with him, and Canova
examined them with great attention. Instinctively he recognized
the touch of genius. When he had looked at them keenly for a few
minutes, he turned kindly to the trembling young man, and said at
once, "Come to me alone next week, for I want to have a talk with
you."

On the appointed day, Gibson, quivering with excitement; presented
himself once more at the great master's studio. Canova was
surrounded as before by artists and visitors; but in a short time
he took Gibson into a room by himself, and began to speak with him
in his very broken English. Many artists came to Rome, he said,
with very small means, and that perhaps might be Gibson's case.
"Let me have the gratification, then," he went on, "of assisting
you to prosecute your studies. I am rich. I am anxious to be of
use to you. Let me forward you in your art as long as you stay in
Rome."

Gibson replied, with many stammerings, that he hoped his slender
means would suffice for his personal needs, but that if Canova
would only condescend to give him instruction, to make him his
DigitalOcean Referral Badge