The Canova, circa 1790, from our Heritage Collection, is a luxurious Italian Antique Marble Mantel with Neoclassical styling. The carved Frieze shows goddess of dawn Aurora leading sun god Apollo in his chariot (based on Guido Reni's pavilion central hall ceiling fresco, "L'Aurora," in the Palazzo Pallavicini-Rospigliosi in Rome, circa 1614.) The stanchions on each side are in the form of Italian sculptor Antonio Canova's (1757-1822) Dancing Girls, and this mantle has significant US history with three versions appearing in the White House (the Vermeil Room, the China Room and the Yellow Oval Room.) The details on this mantel are museum quality, spectacular.
