The dossier exhibition presents the masterpiece by Antonio Canova, created in Rome in 1783, which marks the transition from Baroque ideals to the aesthetic principles of Neoclassicism.

For the first time to the public, the plaster sculpture of the head of Theseus will be exhibited, along with the cast and plaster model of the sculptural group, alongside engravings, documentation, and historical publications related to the work of the Venetian artist.

A youthful masterpiece by Antonio Canova, the Theseus and the Minotaur, created in Rome in 1783, holds a crucial importance in the history of art and sculpture; the work, in fact, marks the transition from Baroque ideals to Neoclassical aesthetic principles.

The Theseus and the Minotaur will be the centerpiece of a dossier exhibition, scheduled from March 23 to June 21, 2025, at the Gypsotheca Antonio Canova Museum in Possagno (TV), entitled Canova and the Birth of Modern Sculpture, curated by Professor Elena Catra – a member of the Scientific Committee of the Institution – and sponsored by Continuità di idee S.R.L. from Silea.

The occasion is given by the entry into the collection, thanks to a free loan, of the Head of Theseus in plaster, coming from a private collection. 

The work will be exhibited for the first time to the public in the Lazzari Wing of the museum and will be compared with the first model created by Canova, as a study of the sculpture, and its final version in plaster. 

The journey is completed with a section set up in the Birthplace of Antonio Canova where there will be engravings, such as the etching Theseus and the Minotaur (based on the invention of Antonio Canova, designed by Salesa Bonaventura and engraved by Raffaello Morghen), documentation, and historical publications.