Why it matters
Instead of the violent fight, Canova shows Theseus calmly seated on the Minotaur he has just killed, like a hunter resting on his prey. It is one of his earliest works in Rome.
Did you know?
- It was carved in 1781–1782.
- It was commissioned by the Venetian ambassador Girolamo Zulian, who supplied the marble.
- The V&A bought it in 1962.
Based on the Wikipedia article Theseus and the Minotaur (sculpture) (CC BY-SA 4.0).
