Elena Bassi (1911-1999) e i primi studi su Canova e il Neoclassicismo/Elena Bassi (1911–1999) and the early studies on Canova and Neoclassicism

Elena Bassi was an indispensable leading figure in the study of Venetian art and Neoclassicism. A graduate of the University of Padua, she devoted her career to teaching at the Art School and the Academy of Venice, combining her teaching with in-depth academic research into topics often overlooked by the historiography of the time. Her work on Antonio Canova represents a cornerstone of her scholarship: Bassi sought to dispel the clichés surrounding the sculptor, publishing monographs and catalogues (such as those on the Possagno Plaster Cast Gallery and Canova’s drawings) which are still regarded as unrivalled. In addition to Canova, his studies focused on the architect Giannantonio Selva and on the complex historical developments of the Academy of Fine Arts in Venice. Thanks to his ability to curate major exhibitions and publish modern guides, his contribution remains an essential resource for anyone studying art and architecture from the 18th to the 19th century. The documentation preserved in the archives of the Academy of Fine Arts in Venice and the Ragghianti Foundation in Lucca is fundamental to reconstructing this scholarly journey.