How did Bertel Thorvaldsen’s sculptures differ from Antonio Canova’s works?

While both Bertel Thorvaldsen and Antonio Canova were leading figures of Neoclassicism, their sculptural approaches differed significantly in style and surface treatment.123

• Style and Character: Thorvaldsen’s work was generally more severe and occasionally archaizing in character compared to Canova’s. While Canova’s career spanned a range of styles—including sentimental, horrific, and austere—Thorvaldsen became known for a deliberately chilling, sublime style, particularly in his religious commissions.3
• Surface Treatment: A primary distinction lies in how the two artists finished their marble sculptures. Thorvaldsen’s marbles were notably neutral, often appearing as plain as their original plaster models; he deliberately left the surfaces of his sculptures in this neutral state. In contrast, Canova’s work is distinguished by a different approach to the marble surface, which critics have contrasted with the "neutral" quality of Thorvaldsen’s pieces.34

Ultimately, while Thorvaldsen was Canova’s chief rival and eventually replaced him in critical favor, their legacies remain distinct due to these differing aesthetic choices.3