Giovanni (Gian) Lorenzo Bernini (Giovanni Lorenzo Bernini) - Italian Baroque sculptor, artist, leading architect of the XVII century. He was fond of graphics, the first to write cartoons, was the author and director of forty comedies. He embodied many engineering solutions for the theatrical stage of the noble and powerful Barberini family. He created a number of architectural ensembles, which became the standards of the era. About a hundred sculptures of Bernini are recognized as monuments of art. Its fountains still amaze with its epic, grandeur of scope and magnificence.
Within the article it is impossible to cover all the works of the legendary Italian. Let us dwell on the most important of them.
Biography
Gian, the sixth child of the Bernini family, was born in Napoli on December 7, 1598.
Family
Mother, Angelica Galante, is a native of the city, and her father, Pietro Bernini, is from Toscana. The head of a large family, by the time the heir was born, had already taken place and earned well. He was professionally engaged in sculpture. After Giovanni, the parents got seven more children.
First work
From childhood, the father noticed the extraordinary giftedness of his son. The boy loved to draw and always carefully watched the work of Pietro. And he, with love and great pleasure, was engaged in teaching his son.
In 1606, his father took Jan to Rome with him, where he worked on several projects in the papal halls of the Vatican. Thanks to his father, the future master lived in a papal residence for three years. He was surrounded by rare jewels, pilgrims, expensive things, works of art. The child’s admiration knew no bounds; all his emotions were immediately transferred to them on paper. At the same time Pietro gave the child a chisel and allowed to help in the work on the details of his sculptures. In the evenings, the father sought his son in the Vatican halls, calling by name. The artist Annibale Carracci praised the boy for his talent and zeal and was noticed by Pope Paul V (Cardinal Camillo Borghese). Subsequently, the nephew of Paul V - Cardinal Scipione Borghese (Scipione Borghese) will become the patron saint of young Bernini.
The first independent work of 17-year-old Dzhan was the marble sculpture "Goat Amalfeus with the baby Zeus and a satyr." For a long time, the author did not disclose his involvement in the work and the sculpture was considered an antique find. Two busts are also known: “Damned soul”, conceived as a self-portrait and “Blessed soul”, which the young man made first.
The work of the young sculptor Martyrdom of St. Lawrence is the first step in an attempt to express emotions, tension, passion through the stillness of the stone. The first masterpieces drove crazy the realism of images, so everything turned out to be thought out and worked out.
By the age of 22, the young man had already learned a lot and became a full-fledged assistant to his father. Pavel V, fascinated by the skill of a young man, orders him his bust. Under the patronage of the Borghese family, Bernini's talent finds application in the rich villas and gardens of Italian society. He becomes a famous and sought-after sculptor, who conquered a whole era.
The cultural heritage left by Giovanni Bernini formed and developed a new direction of art - the Baroque style.
Confrontation with Borromini
Francesco Borromini is an Italian architect from Switzerland. Borromini is a pseudonym, his real name is Castelli. He was a talented master and had all the prerequisites to become famous, but Bernini's fame overshadowed his work. Possessing a malicious, irritable character, Borromini was always offended by the opponent. Architects had several common projects. For example, the Canopy of Bernini in St. Peter's Basilica is named after one of them, although they worked in pairs.
Their confrontation has become a legend. In 1626, Borromini worked on the expansion of the Palace “Propaganda Fide” (“de Propaganda Fide”), opposite which was the house of Bernini. Opponents did not hesitate to express their feelings, depicting on the walls of a house and a palace various obscene things intended for each other.
Bernini once had to build the church of St. Peter in a swampy area. The architect changed the original plan and built large towers instead of small ones. He was not very experienced in this matter, Borromini could tell many details of the construction, but said nothing. And when cracks started in the towers, Borromini insisted on the destruction of the building, revealing all the mistakes of the opponent. Envy of the successes of its competitors led Borromini to suicide.
Sculptures
Bernini's sculptural masterpieces are unique in that they are able to reveal to the viewer the most subtle features of the soul. The master separated passion, anger, desire, fear from man and imprisoned them in stone, glorifying the Baroque style. A virtuoso of processing marble and bronze, he created an imitation of shine on them, gave the effect of soft skin, and copied the structure of fabrics. Bernini's sculptures shock naturalism, solemnity and sensuality. It seems that they are alive, breathing, living, just froze for a moment. All this was achieved by using special lighting, false perspectives and visual deception. To achieve the desired effect, the master used some methods of lengthening the body and image gestures.
Ecstasy of St. Theresa
The work on the altar group of Carrara marble on a colored background took seven years (from 1645 to 1652) The sculpture is located in the Roman Carmelite Church of Santa Maria della Vittoria and is dedicated to the Catholic saint. She narrated that she once saw an "angel in the flesh" and he pierced through her belly with an arrow of gold with fire at the end. At the same time, the nun felt "the sweet torment of love for God." The gilded rays emanating from above personify the divine light.
Apollo and Daphne
The marble sculpture is located in the center of the Galleria Borghese Gallery in Rome. It was performed from 1622 to 1625. The master depicted the moment when the sun god Apollo is trying to keep the nymph Daphne. Apollo made fun of Cupid, and the kid, showing his dexterity, shot an arrow at him. The first young man saw Daphne, fell in love with her and wanted to embrace him. Fleeing, the nymph called for help mother - the goddess Gaia. She answered prayers, turning her daughter into a laurel. Then the lover picked up a leaf tree and made a wreath for himself.
Ecstasy Louis
"The Ecstasy of Blessed Louis Albertoni" is the final work of the master. Bernini is already 75 years old, and the sculpture has become a variation of "Ecstasy of St. Theresa." You can see in Rome, in the church of San Francesco a Ripa (San Francesco d 'Assisi a Ripa Grande) in the Trastevere district. The delicate work of an architect is difficult to recreate even with the help of modern 3D programmable milling machines. The dying saint lies in clothing; religious ecstasy anticipates the coming of the Holy Spirit. The work used white and red marble.
David
Located in the Roman Gallery of Borghese. The plot of the bold David is taken by Bernini from an ancient legend. A young man with a stone from a sling kills the giant Goliath. Work on the marble "David" lasted 7 months. The sculpture is saturated with dynamics, tension, hatred of the enemy. When you look at her, you feel the force with which the hero pulls the rope. This distinguishes Bernini’s work from “David” by Michelangelo with his calmness and contemplation.
Abduction of Proserpine
Marble sculpture 2 meters high 95 centimeters completed in a year. Located in the Roman Gallery of Borghese. The plot of the legend of the daughter of Zeus Proserpine and the king of shadows Pluto. The father gave his daughter in marriage to Pluto, and he decided to abduct her immediately. The abduction was seen by the sun god Helios and told about this to the girl’s mother - Demeter. The fertility goddess was angry with Zeus, went to the people, becoming a mere mortal. The Thunderer could not allow the lack of life on earth and returned the daughter of his mother. But the cunning husband forced his wife to eat pomegranates, a symbol of marriage. Now 8 months in the year Proserpine lives with his mother, and 4 - with her husband.
Elephant
A life-size marble animal adorns the center of Minerva Square (Piazza della Minerva). Opposite the square is the temple of Santa Maria sopra Minerva (Santa Maria sopra Minerva). The sculpture was created in 1667 according to eyewitnesses, since the author himself never saw a living elephant. A long blanket of the animal hides the cube, which was needed to maintain the weight of the obelisk. For some resemblance to a piglet, the sculpture was nicknamed the “pig of Minerva”. The author was dissatisfied with the work, as his sketch was finalized by the ministers of the church. Therefore, he turned away the trunk of the elephant from the temple.
Prophet Habakkuk
The sculpture "Habakkuk and the angel" is located in the Roman church of Santa Maria del Polopolo (Santa Maria del Popolo) in the chapel of Chigi (Capella Chigi). The Prophet looks in surprise at the angel who descended to him.. An angel is going to transfer Habakkuk for 1000 kilometers to the lion moat to the prophet Daniel, so that the latter tastes food from his native land. Created in 1665
True
Work on the sculpture 2 meters high 80 centimeters was in 1646-52. This is a girl on a stone with the sun in her right hand and the globe under her left foot. It was created after the tragedy with the construction of St. Peter's Church and remained unfinished. Next to her was Time. It is considered unsuccessful work of the master. Can be viewed at the Borghese Gallery.
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Holy bibiana
The sculpture was created in 1626 for the Roman church of St. Bibiana (Santa Bibiana) - the first architectural project of Bernini. Behind the church is the temple of Minerva Medica. Saint Bibiana was sentenced to death by the emperor Julian the Apostate and took her next to one of the columns of the church. The author depicted her with a palm leaf, a symbol of the martyrs. The saint was buried here.
Neptune and Triton
Marble work with a height of 1 meter 82 centimeters can be seen in the London Museum of Victoria and Albert. Bernini worked on it from 1620 to 1624. Scene from the epic work "Aeneid" by Vergilius. Neptune provides Aeneas with a safe passage through the sea, taming the waves. But Triton, the son of a sea god, trumpets the horn. When the sculpture stood in the villa of Peretti Montalto as a fountain, a jet of water beat from the bugle.
Bacchanalia
Marble sculpture “Bacchanalia. Children tease Faun ”is located in New York, at the Metropolitan Museum of Art (The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York). The master worked on it from 1616 to 1617. Possessing absolute authority, he glorified church dogmas and, at the same time, corrupted them. A religious statue appeared in the light of scandalousness and passion.
Jellyfish head
The sculpture is considered to be the pearl of Italian baroque. Belongs to the Roman Capitol Museums (Musei Capitolini) since 1731. However, Bernini's biographies written by Domenico Bernini and Filippo Baldinucci do not mention her. One of the sculptor's researchers, Rudolf Wittkower, was the first to suggest that the author of Medusa's Head was Bernini.
Aeneas, Anchises and Askanias fleeing from Troy
The plot of the 20-year-old sculptor is again inspired by Virgil's Aeneid. Ankhiz and Aphrodite had a son Aeneas and a grandson of Askanias. When Troy was engulfed in fire, the gods ordered them to flee. The fugitives escaped and wandered for a long time, until Aeneas founded the city in Latium - Rome. From Askania came the Julia dynasty (Gaius Julius Caesar, Octavian Augustus (Caius Iulius Caesar, Octavianus Augustus), etc.). The sculptural monument belongs to the Borghese Gallery.
Putto with the dragon
The sculpture is a joint work of Gian and Pietro Bernini and was made for Maffeo Barberini in 1617 (he had not yet become Urban VIII). Perhaps it should have become part of the fountain, as a hole was made in the dragon's mouth. It depicts a little Hercules tearing a dragon's mouth between his hands, as the tales tell of the incredible strength of the hero from birth. According to one version, the mythological animal personifies the symbol of the coat of arms of Shipyone Borghese.
Cursed soul
It is considered a marble self-portrait of the author and the opposite of the sculpture "Blessed Soul". Located in the Palzzo Monaldeschi. Another sculptor, an admirer of Bernini's works, Massimiliano Soldani-Benzi, reproduced a copy of the bronze sculpture in about 1707. Now it is part of the Liechtenstein Museum.
St. Lawrence on the grill
The saint was sentenced to be burned alive on an iron grate. Among Christians, he, oddly enough, is the patron saint of cooks. When on one side the body had already burned down, the martyr turned to the executioners and ordered them to turn themselves over. The work was completed in 1617 and is located in the Uffizi Gallery (Galleria degli Uffizi) in Florence.
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Saints Jerome and Mary Magdalene
The statues of Maria Magdalena and Hieronymus are located in the Capella della Madonna del Voto, also designed by Bernini. This is the chapel of the Siena Cathedral (Duomo di Siena), a monument of Italian Gothic architecture and the main church of Siena (Siena). Madonna is considered the guardian of the city.
World savior
The sculpture “Savior of the world” is made of bronze in the shape of a bust. The author finished work on it in 1679, almost before his death. It was intended for Queen Kristina of Sweden (Kristina av Sverige), and it was possible to identify the sculpture only in 2001. It is stored in the church of St. Sevastian outside the walls of Rome (Basilica di San Sebastiano fuori le mura).
Busts
In addition to life-size sculptures, Bernini's works include several busts of prominent figures. It was considered prestigious to capture your image with the great master.
Bust of Shipione Borghese
The bust of the first patron was made by the master in 1632, located in the Borghese Gallery. Is one of Bernini's early works, considered a masterpiece of living naturalness.. The folds of clothes seemed to have just gathered. Face contour lines are not perfect in their relief. There were two such busts. The first turned out to be a small marble defect in the forehead. And in 15 days, to please the cardinal, Bernini made the second one the same, but without flaws.
Bust of Cardinal Richelieu
The portrait bust of Armand Jean du Plessis Richelieu (Armand-Jean du Plessis, duc de Richelieu) was made in marble in 1641 and is now located in the Paris Louvre (Musée du Louvre). The cardinal himself liked the work very much, he awarded the author the highest praise.
Bust of Thomas Baker (Thomas Baker)
The marble portrait was made in 1638, today it belongs to the London Museum of Victoria and Albert. The museum bought a bust in 1921 for 1,480 guineas. Baker was the sheriff of the eastern county of England - Suffolk (Suffolk) and served the court of Charles I Stuart (Charles I Stuart).
Bust of Constanta Buonarelli
Constanţa Bonarelli was Bernini's lover, but cheated on the sculptor with his younger brother Luigi. Giovanni set a trap for them and beat his brother with an iron rod. And his servant mutilated the girl’s face.
Later, the traitor was expelled from the city, and the traitor was sent to prison. Bernini stood up for Urban VIII (Urbanus PP. VIII). Work done in 1634, is in the National Museum of Bargello (Museo Nazionale del Bargello) in Florence.
Bust of Alexander VII (Alexander PP. VII)
A bust of Pope Alexander VII of marble and gilded bronze was in operation from 1655 to 1667. Recognized as one of the best works of the sculptor. The next Vatican patriarch was the patron saint of the master and later Bernini's works also adorned the tomb of Alexander VII. The sculpture is in the palace of Chigi Zondadari (Palazzo Chigi Zondadari) in Siena.
Tombstones and monuments
Bernini embodied in stone not only mythical, divine and royal personalities. Some have received the attention of the great master even after his death.
Tombstone of Pope Alexander VII
It is located in St. Peter's Basilica (Basilica di San Pietro), where Pope is buried. A stunning sculptural composition that makes a lasting impression. Work on it was completed in 1678. It stands out against the background of the general splendor of the decoration of the cathedral with its scale. The disciples of the master made statues of Justice, Prudence, Truth and Mercy. Bernini himself did not take part in the work, except for taking orders and remuneration, preparing project sketches and observing the work of sculptors.
Monument to the nun Maria Raggi
The memorial is made of marble and gilded bronze in 1647. Located on a pillar in the church of Santa Maria sopra-Minerva (Santa Maria sopra Minerva) in Rome. Mary was a nun from the island of Chios (Hios). Widowed early, she prayed a lot and could work miracles. Three of Maria's descendants were responsible for commissioning Bernini's works: Tammaso, Lorenzo, and Ottaviano. Their names are printed at the bottom of the memorial.
Tombstone of Countess Matilda of Canossa (Matilde di Canossa)
The work was erected together with the students. She became the first woman buried in St. Peter's Basilica. In her family castle, Pope Gregory VII (Gregorius PP. VII) was hiding from the French king Henry IV (Henri IV). When the monarch was deposed and excommunicated, in 1077 he came to beg for forgiveness to the pope. The tombstone was ordered by Urban VIII in 1633. The following year, the countess’s body was transported from Mantova to the constructed tombstone.
Tombstone of Pope Urban VIII
The tombstone of Pope Urban VIII was created by Bernini as a baroque tomb in the Cathedral of St. Peter. Urban VIII continued the construction of the basilica begun by Julius II (Iulius PP. II). He drew Bernini to work, who determined the place for the tomb of the pope on the north side of the cathedral. Dad sits in the center of the architectural composition, giving blessings. On both sides of it are the figures of Justice and Mercy. At the feet of the pope, between the figures, death writes the name of Urban VIII in the book of eternal memory.
Fountains
Bernini's fountains are grandiose and majestic architectural structures with a storyline.
Fountain of the Four Rivers
The Fountain of the Four Rivers (Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi) was built according to the sketch of Bernini from 1648 to 1651. It is located on the Roman Piazza Navona in front of the Palazzo Pamphilj. The customer was Pope Innocent X (Innocentius PP. X). In the heart of the square is an obelisk with statues around. The statues symbolize the four rivers of the world: the Nile (Nile), Danube, Ganges (Ganges) and La Plata (La Plata).
Triton Fountain
The Fontana del Tritone fountain was erected on Piazza Barberini in front of Palazzo Barberini, commissioned by Urban VIII immediately after the construction of the palace was completed.
On a pedestal of 4 dolphins, tails up, there is a large sink with open sashes. A Triton figure sits on them, and between the dolphins there is the coat of arms of Barberini.
Bees fountain
The Fountain of Bees (Fontana delle Api) is set on the corner of Piazza Barberini and Via Vittorio Veneto. Work on it was completed in 1644. The fountain is made in the form of an open shell, one of the wings of which is filled with water. The name of Urban VIII is carved on the other. In the middle of the folds are three bees, a symbol of papal authority. Initially, Bernini's inscription read: "Urban VIII built this fountain ... in 1644, on the XXII year of his stay on the papal throne," although a couple of months remained until the age of 22. The townspeople were indignant that Barberini was trying to take his time and the pope's nephew ordered to remove one unit at the end. Urban VIII passed away 9 days before the 22nd year of rule.
Architecture
Bernini's architectural structures obeyed the same style in which all the other works of the sculptor were created.
Church of Sant Andrea al Quirinale
The church of Sant Andrea al Quirinale (Sant'Andrea al Quirinale) was built for the royal house of Italy according to the sketches of Bernini from 1658 to 1678. The architect made it oval, placing 8 various chapels inside. The main colors of the building: gray, white, pink and gold. Camillo Pamphilj, nephew of Innocent X (Innocentius PP. X), became the customer for the construction.
Chapel Cornaro in the Cathedral of Santa Maria della Vittoria
The Chapel of Cornaro in the cathedral of Santa Maria della Vittoria in the western wing of a small titular church in eastern Rome stands out for its theatrical decoration and wealth. It is here that the sculptor's favorite altar composition is located - Ecstasy of St. Theresa. The chapel of the funeral chapel with a marble frame was commissioned by the Patriarch of Venice, Cardinal Federico Cornaro. On both sides of the altar on the balconies are members of the Cornaro family, they are busy discussing the vision of the saint.
Work in the Vatican
In addition to the tombstones of Countess Matilda of Canos, Pope Alexander VII, Pope Urban VIII, the Vatican has a huge legacy of Bernini's works.
Colonades in St. Peter's Square
The construction of the square lasted 11 years, completed in 1667. On both sides of the square there were colonnades, as a symbol of church hands embracing the earth. Columns of 20 meters in height, 1.6 meters wide, are installed in 4 rows. In total there are 284 columns, 140 of them are decorated with statues of religious persons located on top. On the right and left sides of the main obelisk of the square there are plates of marble, standing on which you can see only 1 row of columns. Bernini knew geometry well.
Canopy
The canopy (civorium) is located under the dome above the main altar (in the middle cross). The height of the ciborium on 4 twisted columns repeating the models of the columns of the temple of Solomon (Salomon) is 29 meters. On the tops of the laurel, at the top of the columns are the emblematic bees of Barberini. About 45 tons of bronze took to kivoriy. First, the material was removed from the cathedral dome, then brought from Venice (Venezia) and Livorno (Livorno). But when this was not enough, they dismantled the support of the roof of the portico of the Pantheon (Pantheon).
Department of the Apostle Peter
Department of the Apostle Peter (Cathedra S. Petri Apostoli) - a bronze structure was created in the period from 1656 to 1665 by order of Alexander VII and was intended for the altar of the Cathedral of St. Peter. The pearl of the department is the wooden throne belonging to the Apostle Peter. The relic in 875 was transferred to Pope John VIII (Pope John VIII) by Charles Lysy (Charles le Chauve). Initially, the throne was hidden from prying eyes, but in 1867 it was introduced to believers for review. Around the throne are figures of angels, supported by Ambrosius Mediolanensis with Aurelius Augustinus in the front row and John Chrysostom with Athanasius the Great in the second. The department is recognized as the pinnacle of sculptor skill.
Equestrian statue of Constantine
Equestrian statue of Konstantin - the sculpture was created from 1654 to 1670 and was commissioned by Innocent X. When Clemens X came to power, he erected a statue in front of the stairs of the papal palace. Constantinus (Constantinus) the Great before the battle with Maxentius (Maxentius) saw on earth a symbol from the cross and the inscription: "conquer this." The commander and soldiers were afraid of what he saw, but at night Konstantin dreamed of Christ, commanding him to sew a banner with the sign he saw during the day. The king obeyed the vision and the army defeated the enemy. Now the statue is in the Cathedral of St. Peter.
Saint Longinus
The sculpture of St. Longin more than 4 meters high was made in 1638 and installed in St. Peter's Basilica. Longinus is a Roman warrior who pierced the crucified Jesus with a spear. Realizing that Christ is the son of God, the warrior became a Christian. Fogg's Harvard Museum houses a small terracotta sculpture made by Bernini before creating the main work. But the final version is different from the original, since the altered design of the canopy of the cathedral led to changes in the sculpture of Longinus. As a result, Longinus is depicted facing the god with a set spear and armor in his legs.
Chapel of the Holy Communion
One of the best chapels of St. Peter's Basilica is not for tourists. Only those who want to pray can get here. Built specifically for Urban VIII, this is evidenced by the bees from the coat of arms of Barberini, present in the design. For the incredible beauty of the altar, rare types of marble are used. Above the altar is the gift-guard of gold, silver and blue glaze. On her sides are two bronze angels, covered in gilding.
Sovereign's staircase
"Rega Rock" - the main Royal Staircase - the main one in the Vatican. It connects the papal palace and St. Peter's Basilica. The staircase was created using artificial perspective in 1666. The lower flights of stairs, narrowing, go in a straight line, being a continuation of the right corridor of St. Peter's Square. Then she turns 1800 and the last march, not visible from below, descends back. Thanks to the altered illusory perception and specially located lighting, the figure of the pope coming out of the palace seems larger.
Paintings
Bernini painted many self-portraits and several paintings that have survived to this day. Critics believe that the artist Bernini inferior to Bernini sculptor, but today his paintings occupy worthy places in the collections of galleries and museums. Some of the works:
- Portrait of a young man (self-portrait), 1615 (chalk, Horne Museum in Florence);
- St. Andrew and St. Thomas, 1617 (oil on canvas, National Gallery of London (National Gallery));
- Self-portrait at a young age, 1623 (oil on canvas, Borghese Gallery);
- David with the head of Goliath, 1625 (oil on canvas, Roman National Gallery of Ancient Art);
- Portrait of a man with a mustache, 1630 (lead white and chalk, Royal Collection of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II);
- Portrait of Pope Urban III, 1632 (oil on canvas, Roman National Gallery of Ancient Art (Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Antica));
Self-portrait in adulthood, 1630-1635 (oil on canvas, Borghese Gallery); - Portrait of a boy, 1638 (oil, Borghese Gallery).
Hotel
The five-star 127-star Bernini Hotel Sina Bernini Bristol is located in Rome's prestigious Piazza Barberini district of Rome. The hotel offers superb views of the historic city center. Built in 1874 with an old-style decoration.
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Personal life and death
After an unsuccessful affair with the wife of his assistant, Constance Bernini, at the direction of Pope Urban III, he married 22-year-old Catherine Tercio (Katerina Tercio). The girl was the daughter of a notary from Rome and subsequently gave her husband 11 children. Son Domenico (Domenico) was the first to write a biography of his father.
Bernini died in 1680, having survived eight popes. He was buried in the papal basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore (Basilica di S. Maria Maggiore) with his parents.
Interesting Facts
- "Grazian: - Who is this Grazian? Grazian: - Who is he? He is the plot of our comedy! Tratsian: - Oh yes! But if the world is nothing more than gum, then Grazian is in the plot of the universe!" These are words from the unfinished comedy of Bernini, which is in the Paris National Library (Bibliothèque nationale de France);
- Paul V was the first to compare the talent of young John with the talent of Michelangelowhen introduced it to future pope Urban VIII;
- Grigorieq XV (Gregorius PP. XV) awarded Bernini the knighthood;
- King of England Charles I (Charles I), wishing to be immortalized in a bust of Bernini's work, sent him 3 portraits. When the Swedish Queen Kristina visited the sculptor in his workshop, he went out to her in working clothes. The royal lady was not offended at all, touching the dressing gown as an exhibit;
- Dan Brown wrote the novel "Angels and Demons" in 2000, in which Bernini is represented as a member of a secret organization.
