Possagno, in the province of Treviso, is preparing to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the birth of Giovanni Battista Sartori (Crespano, 1775 - Possagno, 1858), half-brother and principal heir of the famous sculptor Antonio Canova, with a multifaceted program that includes an international conference, restoration work and a concluding concert. The event, organized by the Gypsotheca Antonio Canova Museum, will be held on Thursday, October 30 and Friday, October 31, 2025, under the scientific direction of Francesco Leone, Paolo Mariuz, and Moira Mascotto. The conference Giovanni Battista Sartori and the Legacy of Canova will host scholars, representatives of institutions, and professionals in the field, and will address issues concerning the management of Canova’s studio in Rome after the master’s death, the dispersion of his works, and the founding of institutions designed to protect and enhance his memory. The event marks the beginning of a two-year cycle of meetings dedicated to promoting research and spreading knowledge of the figure of Canova and the historical context in which he worked.
To encourage the participation of young people, the Canova Foundation has allocated five scholarships, which cover travel, board and lodging expenses for selected students, thus ensuring the presence of new generations of scholars. Participation in the conference is free, subject to availability, with registration through the form available on the museum’s official website. In parallel with the study meetings, the museum will present two important restorations: the Portrait of Giovanni Battista Sartori by Antonio Canova, a plaster model from 1800, and the Portrait of Giovanni Battista Sartori by Angelo Balestra, an oil on canvas dated 1859. The work on the plaster restored the full legibility of the original surfaces, while the restoration of Balestra’s painting consolidated the paint film and recovered color balance and luminosity. The operations, entrusted respectively to Passarella Restauri and Edda Zonta Restauri, were conducted under the supervision of the Soprintendenza Archeologia, Belle Arti e Paesaggio for the provinces of Padua, Treviso and Belluno. The initiative is supported by Cementirossi, while the restoration received a contribution from Chrysos S.p.A., both as part of the enhancement and protection program promoted by theFondazioneCanova Onlus. The entire project is part of a path that combines research, conservation and dissemination of Canova’s culture.
The official program of the conference will include a press conference at 12 noon on Thursday, October 30, presenting the event and the restorations, which will be attended by Massimo Zanetti, president of the Fondazione Canova; Moira Mascotto, director of the museum; Francesco Bernardi, president of Chrysos S.p.A.; Maurizio Schininà, director of Cementirossi; and the mayor of Possagno Valerio Favero. A preview of the restored works will be available at 1 p.m. The scientific proceedings will start at 3 p.m., moderated by Fernando Mazzocca, with talks by Federico Piscopo, who will discuss the figure of Sartori as abbot and monsignor; Stefano Pagliantini, director of the Civic Library of Bassano del Grappa, on Sartori’s library; and Andrea Nante, director of the Diocesan Museum of Padua, on the cultural identity rooted in Padua. Paolo Mariuz will illustrate Sartori as Canova’s universal heir, while Francesco Leone will analyze his half-brother’s private bequests to Antonietta Bianchi, Filippo Canal, and Pietro Stecchini. Jonathan Marsden, former director of the Royal Collection, will delve into the completion and delivery of Canova’s works for British clients. Giorgio Marini will expound on the purpose and events of Canova’s Calcografia.
On Friday, Oct. 31, the morning session, moderated by Giuliana Ericani, will feature talks by Antonella Mampieris on theunpublished materials of the Canova studio during the direction of Cincinnato Baruzzi, Moira Mascotto on Sartori’s museum vision, and Riccardo Toffanin on Sartori’s donations to the Musei Civici di Bassano del Grappa. Nico Stringa will analyze the monument to Canova in Rome, while Roberto De Feo will explore the relationship between Canova, Sartori and the Possagno Temple. Elena Catra and Francesca Sardi will present Sartori’s ties to Venice and Treviso, while Jimmy Vardanega will discuss the costs of the Possagno Temple and the Crespano Bridge. Margrethe Floryan, senior curator of the Thorvaldsens Museum, will offer a comparison between the Canovian Museum in Possagno and the Thorvaldsen Museum in Copenhagen. Closing the two days, on Friday, Oct. 31, at 8:30 p.m., the Gypsotheca will host the concert Le notti della Bellezza, featuring Violeta Smailović-Huart on violin and the chamber orchestra Figlie di Choro, in a musical journey linking sculpture and melody, spanning centuries of tradition to the contemporary.
The conference, restorations and concert testify to the commitment of the non-profit Fondazione Canova Onlus in ensuring the conservation and enhancement of Canova’s heritage, while promoting scientific research, training new scholars and spreading knowledge of the Possagno museum complex.
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| Possagno (Treviso) celebrates Sartori: international conference and restoration at Canova Museum |
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