Paris at The State Hermitage Museum, St Petersburg

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The incredibly renowned Neoclassical sculptor Antonio Canova consistently created replicas or variations of his most significant works to meet the high demand for his art. As he executed a commission from Empress Josephine of France for a full-length statue of Paris, housed in the State Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg, Canova skillfully carved this bust for his close friend Antoine Quatremère de Quincy, a French Neoclassical theorist and critic who profoundly influenced the sculptor's artistic principles. It vividly captures the moment in Greek mythology when the shepherd Paris, summoned by Zeus to judge which of Hera, Athena, and Aphrodite was the most beautiful, turns his gaze towards the three goddesses. Canova cleverly exploited the subject to create an ideal head, harmoniously balancing the geometry of pure forms with the sensuality of Paris's expression. Upon receiving the gift, Quatremère declared: "There is in [the bust] a blend of the heroic and the sensual, the noble and the amorous. I do not believe that in any other work you have ever combined such life, softness, and chaste purity." Documents clearly show that Canova created four full-length marble statues and at least seven busts of Paris, a clear indication of the sculpture's massive public success. This object is part of "Scan The World", a non-profit initiative launched by MyMiniFactory, through which we are creating a digital archive of fully 3D printable sculptures, artworks, and landmarks from across the globe for everyone to access for free. Scan The World is an open-source, community-driven effort, if you have interesting items around you and would like to contribute, email stw@myminifactory.com to find out how you can help. Scanned: Photogrammetry (Processed using Agisoft PhotoScan)