Canova in Cork: Our Collection & Artists

Art Historian Dr Matthew Whyte offers a new lecture series, which takes the audience on an art-filled journey through the often beautiful, sometimes scandalous, and always fascinating moments in the development of Western civilisation.

In 1818, a vast collection of plaster casts departed the studio of famed sculptor Antonio Canova in Rome, destined for the Prince Regent of England George Augustus Frederick (later King George IV, reg. 1820-30). A gift of political significance, this collection, with the help of happenstance, was presented to Lord Listowel, President of the Cork Society of Arts. For two hundred years, these casts have been on display to the public. Their history tells a story beginning in the Napoleonic Wars, linking to the political situation between Ireland and England, as well as the culture surrounding art, collecting, and even the relationship with the human body in Ireland in the Age of Enlightenment. Equally, this collection gives fascinating insights into the formation of the Crawford Art Gallery, the School of Art, and the budding careers of many of Cork’s most renowned artists. This week, we delve into these histories, examining the history and significance of art in Cork since the arrival of the Canova Casts.