Antonio Canova

This sculpture is a copy of the famous marble statue depicting Paolina Borghese made by Antonio Canova between 1805 and 1808. It portrays the young Paolina Bonaparte, sister of Napoleon and wife of Roman prince Camillo Borghese, who commissioned the work. Paolina was 25 years old when she decided to pose for Canova. Canova sculpted Paolina holding an apple, echoing the Greek myth in which Trojan prince Paris must choose the most beautiful goddess between Hera, Athena and Aphrodite. Paris chooses Aphrodite, giving her a golden apple. Today, the statue of Paolina Borghese is on display in Rome at the Galleria Borghese.