The rebirth of Canova's Amorino Lubomirski: restoration, history, and dialogue between museums

The Lubomirski Cupid (Amorino Lubomirski) by Antonio Canova is about to begin a new chapter thanks to a restoration initiative promoted by the Municipality of Treviso in collaboration with the Gypsotheca in Possagno and the Treviso Civic Museums. This plaster masterpiece, created by the Venetian master in 1785, embodies one of the most refined moments of European Neoclassical art and tells a story that intertwines affection, historical memory, and artistic virtuosity. The decision to restore the Amorino is an act committed to safeguarding beauty and culture, testifying to how Canova’s works profoundly belong to the community and to future generations.

The sculpture portrays the very young Prince Henryk Lubomirski in the guise of Cupid and arose from a commission by Princess Elżbieta Czartoryski Lubomirska, who, during her Grand Tour in Italy, wished to celebrate the youth she had welcomed as a son. In Possagno, Canova’s birthplace, the plaster of the Amorino Lubomirski preserves not only the artist’s characteristic grace but also the tangible signs of time and of the events that have marked its history. During the First World War the work was damaged, and it underwent an initial conservation intervention in 2013. The new restoration—entrusted to the Passarella firm of Padua under the supervision of the Gypsotheca and the Superintendency—will return integrity and legibility to the piece, ensuring its protection for the future.

The figure of the Amorino, so delicate and harmonious, is among the most significant examples of Canova’s poetics: linear elegance, formal purity, and psychological sensitivity merge into a rare achievement on both the sculptural and emotional planes. The young Lubomirski appears suspended between portrait realism and mythological idealization, blending familial affection and references to antiquity with a soft gesture and a posture that conveys lightness and dynamism. The commission by the Polish princess intertwines the tradition of travel in Italy with the search for an icon representing the continuity of affection and the symbolic value of Neoclassical culture. The result is a timeless masterpiece that narrates a personal and universal myth, in which the grace of the model combines with Canova’s reflection on beauty and perfection.

Collaboration among institutions is crucial in historical and artistic preservation. As Moira Mascotto, Director of the Museo Gypsotheca Antonio Canova in Possagno, notes, “the restoration of the Amorino Lubomirski is an act of care toward a Canovian masterpiece, but also a concrete example of how dialogue among museums can translate into virtuous and lasting actions for the benefit of the community.” The project not only preserves the tactile quality and original luminosity of the plaster, but also reconstructs a narrative that links the private history of the commission with the public history of museum memory. Thus the Amorino becomes a symbol of a deep relationship among creativity, affection, and conservation, attesting to the value of sharing and teamwork among museums.

The restoration places great emphasis on analyzing the materials and technique used by Canova. The working of plaster—chosen by the master for its ability to capture every expressive detail and every nuance of light—requires specific skills and a methodical sensitivity. The restorers’ work includes surface cleaning, reconstruction of damaged parts, and structural consolidation, as well as safeguarding the original luminosity that makes the Amorino Lubomirski capable of reflecting ambient light variations and of dialoguing with the exhibition space. The restoration process thus results in a dual valorization: that of the tangible heritage and that of the ethical and cultural message preserved by Canova and by the history accompanying the work itself.

Support from the Municipality of Treviso underscores the importance of local collaboration and civic awareness. Synergy between public and private institutions, between museums and restorers, proves decisive for transmitting the values tied to art and collective memory. The project is not only technical; it also takes on an educational and social dimension: outreach activities will be accompanied by cultural initiatives and in-depth programs for students, citizens, and tourists, who will be able to learn about the Amorino’s history and the figure of Antonio Canova through workshops, guided tours, and themed talks. The dialogue established between Possagno and Treviso celebrates the value of participation and shared responsibility in caring for works of art.

Today the Amorino Lubomirski is reborn as a witness to Canova’s modernity and to the vitality of Italy’s museum networks. The story of Prince Henryk Lubomirski and Princess Elżbieta Czartoryski Lubomirska intertwines with the artistic and historical events that shaped the European aristocracy between the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Every intervention on the plaster becomes an opportunity to explore not only sculptural techniques but also the ideas of beauty, love, and family that animate the Neoclassical tradition. The Amorino in Possagno is thus more than a museum piece: it is a symbol of continuity between past and future, between the history of collecting and new horizons in conservation.

The initiative undertaken by the Treviso Civic Museums and the Museo Gypsotheca Antonio Canova in Possagno is part of a broader strategy to enhance Canova’s plasters and original models. The work—together with the other sculptures housed in the Gypsotheca—serves as a touchstone for scholars, artists, and an international public who visit Possagno each year to admire the Venetian master’s technical solutions and sculptural poetry. The restoration of the Amorino thus becomes an act of restitution, rebirth, and dialogue among different generations, restoring to art its function as a cultural bridge and meeting ground. The care for detail, sensitivity to materials, and ability to kindle emotion belong to the spirit of Antonio Canova, who continues to inspire and captivate to this day.