Popular Culture Review 29.2
Venus Italica�Antonio Canova sculpted the third statue , Venus Italica ( 1819 ), which is in the Galleria Pitti in Florence , Italy . Canova ’ s sponsors commissioned him to sculpt a copy of the Venus de Medici seized by Napoleon . On obtaining a cast of the de Medici statue , he discovered the turn of her head was due to a mistake made by restorers ( Honour 686 ). Canova told his sponsors that , as an artist of the highest caliber , his only choice was to create an original statue . Art historian , Hugh Honour , related a story that explains the attitude of Canova ’ s masterpiece . The artist hired a young woman model . As she was disrobing , Canova ’ s brother unexpectedly entered the room . Alarmed , she stood and clasped the drape to her body . Canova exclaimed this was the pose he wanted . He pulled out his sketchpad and recorded the moment ( 669 ).
David�Many consider Michelangelo ’ s David the finest sculpture in the world . Not to be outdone by anyone , Caesars Palace features several Davids . A large version resides in the Appian Way shopping gallery . Viewers have a close view of a life size David at the main entrance of the casino . Carved from a flawed block of marble , the statue shows the moment before the contest between young David and mighty Goliath . David ’ s weight is on his back foot . He radiates , confidence and resolve , bristling with latent power , yet fully aware of his disadvantages .
One of the hallmarks of this statue ’ s greatness is that , in addition to its technical brilliance , it houses the potential to mean powerful things to diverse groups . Roland Barthes , the French philosopher , believed a work of art has a connoted message , “ the manner in which a society to a certain extent communicates what it thinks of it ” ( 17 ). The Opera del Duomo commissioned Michelangelo to sculpt the statue to stand adjacent to Biblical prophets on the roofline of the cathedral
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