“…voi siete una vera potenza in questo mondo, e non conoscete però la forza che avete”: Antonio Canova e le restituzioni del 1815. Alcune riflessioni

The paper outlines, in salient stages, the position and role of Anto- nio Canova during the diplomatic mission of August-October 1815 in Paris, as plenipotentiary representative of the Holy See for the recovery of requisitioned works of art, in various phases, by the French government. Since the first bio- graphies dedicated to the sculptor, a conspicuous portion of the text was dedi- cated to the celebration of the civil and political role played by the artist in this situation and, in the following years, for the purposes of the museum display of the works returned home, intended for public enjoyment and conservation.