Museo Canova, Possagno

Even if you don't like Canova, you'll ADORE this museum. Set in his birthplace and in an adjoining building, it contains a unique collection of the plaster statues that were then carved in marble by the artists' assistants in his Rome workshop, then finished by Canova himself. Museum guides are passionate and incredibly informative and will turn a visit to the gypsotheque into an amazing journey in time with details on Canova's life, techniques, and the events of the age when Europe was swept by Napoleon's tidal wave. Part of the collection and Canova's tools are on display in the artists' family home and birthplace. *note: if you like this kind of things, well hidden at the bottom of a display case on the top floor you'll find Canova's death mask, his shoes and stockings and even his toupee. I'm not writing this to spoil your fun, but because I'd missed them on my first visit*

Always a pleasure to come back and immerse myself into the world of the great Canova. Its chalk works are an evergreen to visit over and over again. A side note is: if you would like english tour guides you need to call and book in advance, while italian tours are organized every hour.