{"id":9100,"date":"2016-06-28T16:13:49","date_gmt":"2016-06-28T14:13:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/walks.friday.ie\/?p=9100"},"modified":"2026-01-19T15:48:43","modified_gmt":"2026-01-19T15:48:43","slug":"things-to-see-in-rome-bernini","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/art-culture\/things-to-see-in-rome-bernini","title":{"rendered":"The Genius of Bernini, Rome&#8217;s Most Famous Sculptor"},"content":{"rendered":"<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Gian Lorenzo Bernini (1598-1680) was one of Italy&#8217;s most beloved and prolific artists.<\/strong> <\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">His career spans some 70 years and includes everything from fountains and vases to grand palazzi and office buildings. He designed churches, painted portraits, and sculpted major biblical scenes and famous busts for six different popes. <\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Though his mother was Neapolitan and his father Florentine, Bernini was most connected to Rome, where he lived and worked nearly his entire life.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Some of Bernini\u2019s best-known works include the jaw-dropping collonade in front of <a href=\"https:\/\/walksofitaly.com\/blog\/top-attractions\/st-peters-basilica\"><strong>St. Peter&#8217;s Basilica<\/strong><\/a>, the <em>Fountain of the Four Rivers<\/em> in <a href=\"https:\/\/walksofitaly.com\/blog\/top-attractions\/piazza-navona-rome-italy\"><strong>Piazza Navona<\/strong><\/a>, the immense baldachin over the high altar of St. Peter&#8217;s Basilica, and the <em>Ecstasy of Saint Teresa<\/em>, among hundreds of other works of art scattered around Rome, Florence, and beyond.<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_21982\" style=\"width: 1210px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-21982\" class=\"wp-image-21982 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/Piazza-Navona-highlights.jpg\" alt=\"The Fountain of the Four Rivers in Piazza Navona\" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/Piazza-Navona-highlights.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/Piazza-Navona-highlights-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-21982\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Fountain of the Four Rivers in Piazza Navona is one of Bernini&#8217;s most renowned works.<\/p><\/div>\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_80 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/art-culture\/things-to-see-in-rome-bernini\/#The_History_and_Works_of_Bernini\" >The History and Works of Bernini<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/art-culture\/things-to-see-in-rome-bernini\/#The_Child_Prodigy\" >The Child Prodigy<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/art-culture\/things-to-see-in-rome-bernini\/#The_Family_Man\" >The Family Man<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/art-culture\/things-to-see-in-rome-bernini\/#The_Philanderer\" >The Philanderer<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/art-culture\/things-to-see-in-rome-bernini\/#The_Devout_Christian\" >The Devout Christian \u00a0<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/art-culture\/things-to-see-in-rome-bernini\/#The_Patriot\" >The Patriot\u00a0<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/art-culture\/things-to-see-in-rome-bernini\/#The_Baroque_Renaissance_Man\" >The (Baroque) Renaissance Man<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/art-culture\/things-to-see-in-rome-bernini\/#The_Creator_of_Risque_Religious_Sculptures\" >The Creator of Risqu\u00e9 Religious Sculptures<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/art-culture\/things-to-see-in-rome-bernini\/#FAQ%C2%B4S_%E2%80%93_Gian_Lorenzo_Bernini\" >FAQ\u00b4S &#8211; Gian Lorenzo Bernini<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/art-culture\/things-to-see-in-rome-bernini\/#Was_Bernini_more_a_sculptor_or_an_architect\" >Was Bernini more a sculptor or an architect?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/art-culture\/things-to-see-in-rome-bernini\/#Why_is_Bernini_considered_the_defining_artist_of_Baroque_Rome\" >Why is Bernini considered the defining artist of Baroque Rome?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-12\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/art-culture\/things-to-see-in-rome-bernini\/#Can_Berninis_art_be_enjoyed_without_deep_art_history_knowledge\" >Can Bernini\u2019s art be enjoyed without deep art history knowledge?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-13\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/art-culture\/things-to-see-in-rome-bernini\/#Where_can_I_see_the_most_famous_works_by_Bernini_in_Rome\" >Where can I see the most famous works by Bernini in Rome?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_History_and_Works_of_Bernini\"><\/span>The History and Works of Bernini<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">A sculptor, painter, and architect, <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Gian_Lorenzo_Bernini\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Gian Lorenzo Bernini<\/a> <\/strong>was one of Rome&#8217;s last true Renaissance men, though his work properly belongs to the Baroque period, which came just after the Renaissance and marked the abandonment of reason and rationality in favor of emotion, movement, drama, and occasionally excess.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> Bernini didn&#8217;t invent the Baroque style, but he certainly helped to popularize it and make it one of the quintessential cultural expressions of 17th-century Italy. When you think of Rome today, it is\u00a0his vision of Rome, both artistic and architectural, that springs to mind.<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_22453\" style=\"width: 1210px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-22453\" class=\"wp-image-22453 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/Walks_Borghese-Gallery-Tour-WEB-0006.jpg\" alt=\"three portraits on a wall\" width=\"1200\" height=\"801\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/Walks_Borghese-Gallery-Tour-WEB-0006.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/Walks_Borghese-Gallery-Tour-WEB-0006-768x513.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-22453\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The man in the middle: Gian Lorenzo Bernini\u2019s Self-portrait painted between 1630 and 1635.<\/p><\/div>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">So how did Bernini create so many buildings and sculptures that remain among the top attractions in Rome to this day? The answers lie in his long and often wild life which was marked by extremes of passion and religious devotion. Learn where to see his most famous works as well as the stories behind them below. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Child_Prodigy\"><\/span><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The Child Prodigy<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<div id=\"attachment_9361\" style=\"width: 1034px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/walksofitaly.com\/blog\/art-culture\/things-to-see-in-rome-bernini\/attachment\/4599826806_0f475f4731_b\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-9361\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-9361\" class=\"wp-image-9361 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/4599826806_0f475f4731_b.jpg\" alt=\"The Fontana della Barcaccia, near the Spanish Steps, was carved by Pietro, probably with help from his son, Gian Lorenzo Bernini\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/4599826806_0f475f4731_b.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/4599826806_0f475f4731_b-768x576.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-9361\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The <em>Fontana della Barcaccia<\/em>, near the Spanish Steps, was carved by Pietro, probably with help from his son, Gian Lorenzo Bernini. | Photo by Steve Johnson.<\/p><\/div>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Bernini\u2019s father, Pietro, was a sculptor who tutored his son from an early age. When he was just 8 years old Bernini\u2019s talent \u00a0was recognized by none other than the Pope. With that kind of endorsement the artist gained widespread recognition quickly and found himself winning commissions for major projects in his teens and early 20s.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">To see the work of the young Bernini, check out the\u00a0<em>Fontana della Barcacia\u00a0<\/em>at the foot of the <strong>Spanish Steps<\/strong>. Although the official credit for the fountain goes to his father, it&#8217;s widely believed that the young Bernini worked on it as well. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Another of his great early achievements was creating the colossal <strong>baldacchino<\/strong> in St. Peter&#8217;s Basilica when he was still in his 20s. \u00a0This immense altar canopy, which might be made from bronze pilfered from the roof of the <strong>Pantheon<\/strong>, is an extraordinarily effusive, dramatic, and some would say, over-the-top testament to the Barberini Pope Urban VIII. Whether you love it or hate it, you can&#8217;t miss it.<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_22601\" style=\"width: 1210px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-22601\" class=\"wp-image-22601 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/st-peter-bernini.jpg\" alt=\"an ornate canopy made of bronze.\" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/st-peter-bernini.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/st-peter-bernini-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-22601\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Bernini&#8217;s Baldacchino canopy in St. Peter&#8217;s Basilica is made of bronze with gold accents<\/p><\/div>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Family_Man\"><\/span><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The Family Man<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">As the 6th of twelve siblings, Bernini must have been used to a large family. Later, he went on to have 11 children with his young wife, Caterina Tezio. Actually, Bernini was quite \u201cold\u201d (for the 17th century, that is) when he finally married in an arranged marriage; He was 41 and his wife was just 22.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">These were not always great years for Bernini professionally. While he had been a favorite of the Barberini Pope Urban VII, his work came under attack when Innocent X (from the rival Pamphili) replaced Urban VII. If you want to see Bernini&#8217;s most famous work from these years you&#8217;ll have a tough time.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">He built two bell towers for the facade of<strong> St. Peter&#8217;s Cathedral<\/strong> but cracks began to appear in them on the year he was married. Although he was later exonerated of any fault, both bell towers had to be torn down at a considerable price to his prestige. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">But you can&#8217;t keep a man like Bernini down forever. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">After the bell-tower debacle he came storming back to prominence by winning the commission for a fountain that was to be the main monument in the Pamphili family&#8217;s newly remodeled plaza &#8211; the Piazza Navona. His creation, the <em>Fountain of the Four Rivers<\/em>, wowed everyone who saw it and remains one of the most visited attractions in Rome.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_22604\" style=\"width: 1210px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-22604\" class=\"wp-image-22604 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/piazza-navona-23.jpg\" alt=\"large public square with massive fountains\" width=\"1200\" height=\"801\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/piazza-navona-23.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/piazza-navona-23-768x513.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-22604\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Bernini left his mark all over Rome, but the Piazza Navona is perhaps his best gift to the city itself.<\/p><\/div>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Philanderer\"><\/span><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The Philanderer<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Before his marriage, Bernini had a passionate affair with a married woman, Costanza Bonarelli. The wife of one of his assistants, Bernini fell for her after she posed as his model. The sensual and suggestive bust sculpture of Costanza which he carved, with wavy hair, parted lips, and open neckline, is a clear testament to the artist&#8217;s passion for his subject.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">It all came to a nasty end when Bernini saw Costanza leaving the house of his brother, Luigi, one morning. The sculptor chased his brother with a crowbar, breaking bones before pursuing him with a sword. Though Luigi was spared after seeking refuge in <strong>Santa Maria Maggiore<\/strong>, a servant of Bernini was sent to Costanza\u2019s home, where he slashed her face with a razor. Bernini was fined but ultimately forgiven by the Pope \u2013 he was too important to the art world of the time. His servant took the blame, Luigi hid out for some time, and it\u2019s said that Costanza not only recovered from the attack, but she eventually became a noted art dealer in Rome.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Oddly enough, the bust of Bernini&#8217;s famous lover can&#8217;t be found in Rome; it&#8217;s in the <em>Museo Nazionale del Bargello<\/em> in Florence. To see the artist&#8217;s depiction of a similarly unhappy love affair, stop by the <strong>Borghese Gallery<\/strong> for a look at his\u00a0<em>Apollo and Daphne<\/em> &#8211; a paradigm-changing depiction of a young nymph turning into a tree to avoid the predations of the sun god, Apollo. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Also in the gallery is the exquisite and heart-rending\u00a0<em>Pluto and Persephone<\/em>, which depicts another licentious god &#8211; the eponymous Pluto &#8211; Kidnapping a terrified woman to take back to his home in the underworld.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_22474\" style=\"width: 1210px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-22474\" class=\"wp-image-22474 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/Walks_Borghese-Gallery-Tour-WEB-0027.jpg\" alt=\"two statues of a man and woman\" width=\"1200\" height=\"750\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/Walks_Borghese-Gallery-Tour-WEB-0027.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/Walks_Borghese-Gallery-Tour-WEB-0027-768x480.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-22474\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The detail on this work is mind-blowing.<\/p><\/div>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Devout_Christian\"><\/span><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The Devout Christian \u00a0<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Despite crow-barring his brother and sending an assassin with a razor blade after his lover, Bernini considered himself a devout Catholic. He attended mass daily, carried out spiritual exercises prescribed by the writings of St. Ignatius of Loyola, and routinely sought spiritual guidance from priests. His close friendship with the head of the Jesuit order likely exerted a heavy influence on his art, which can be seen especially toward the end of his career.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">For some great examples of Bernini&#8217;s religious works, take note of the statues of angels lining the <em>Ponte Sant&#8217;Angelo<\/em> as you make your way over the Tiber towards the <strong>Vatican<\/strong> from Central Rome. These Bernini-designed angels (which were actually carved by his students) were dubbed the &#8220;Breezy Maniacs&#8221; soon after they were fashioned, apparently because of the holy wind that seems about to blow them off the bridge. The originals now sit in <em>Sant&#8217;Andrea delle Fratte.\u00a0<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Patriot\"><\/span><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The Patriot\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<div id=\"attachment_9364\" style=\"width: 599px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/walksofitaly.com\/blog\/art-culture\/things-to-see-in-rome-bernini\/attachment\/louisxiv-bernini\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-9364\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-9364\" class=\"wp-image-9364\" src=\"https:\/\/walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/LouisXIV-Bernini.jpg\" alt=\"Photo By Louis le Grand on 2006-08, CC BY-SA 2.5, https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/w\/index.php?curid=2347954\" width=\"589\" height=\"736\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-9364\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Bernini may not have enjoyed France but he did manage to carve an amazing bust of King Louis XIV. | Photo by Louis le Grand<\/p><\/div>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">In 1665 Bernini went to Paris, France to consult on designs for the Louvre under Louis XIV &#8211; then the world\u2019s most powerful monarch. It was the only time since coming to Rome that Bernini left the city for more than a brief vacation. Less than six months after his arrival, he was already clamouring to return home. Apparently, he considered himself surrounded by cultural barbarians and constantly made comments to anyone within earshot regarding the inferiority of Paris when compared to Rome. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">As you might imagine,<\/span><span style=\"color: #000000;\">\u00a0his behavior didn\u2019t win him many friends &#8211; French friends, anyway &#8211; and ultimately his designs were never used.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">He did produce one great work from the trip, though. His bust of King Louis XIV is widely considered among his finest sculptures, as well as being a crowning example of Baroque art. It&#8217;s even more impressive considering that Bernini completed it in about 40 days. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Apparently, in between complaining about the French he managed to finagle about 20 sittings with the king in which he studied the young monarch and chipped away at the marble. Today the bust is on display at the Palace of Versailles.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Baroque_Renaissance_Man\"><\/span><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The (Baroque) Renaissance Man<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Bernini was almost obscenely prolific with his art. Besides defining the architecture and artistic style of Rome and Italy, Bernini also wrote and staged multiple plays in the Barberini Palace Theater in Rome. Not only were the plays his own, he also acted in them. Most notable, however, were his set designs and special effects \u2013 many of which were unheard of at the time. His plays featured rising platforms, flames that destroyed the set only to show another behind it and floods from the Tiber River that threatened to drench the audience before disappearing down a hidden drain.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">One Englishman who witnessed Bernini\u2019s spectacle wrote in his 1644 diary: &#8220;Bernini\u2026gave a public opera wherein he painted the scenes, cut the statues, invented the engines, composed the music, write the comedy, and built the theatre.&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Although none of his stage designs have survived, you can appreciate the theatricality of Bernini&#8217;s work in the Elephant Obelisk in front of <em>Santa Maria Sopra Minerva<\/em>. Notice how the elephant is smiling and looking back, with its tail slightly to the side, as if about to, well, leave a &#8220;gift&#8221; for someone behind it? This was apparently done on purpose: its hind end faces a nearby <\/span>Dominican<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> monastery that was the home of one of Bernini&#8217;s rivals for the commission. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">When he came up with the elephant, the rival claimed it would never support the weight of the obelisk and so the design was modified with a &#8220;saddlecloth&#8221; that hide a large stone support block. Bernini thought it ruined the awe that he had hoped to inspire with the design. In retribution, he oriented the defecating elephant&#8217;s business end towards the monastery.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Creator_of_Risque_Religious_Sculptures\"><\/span><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The Creator of Risqu\u00e9 Religious Sculptures<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<div id=\"attachment_9102\" style=\"width: 610px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/Teresabernini.jpeg\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-9102\" class=\"wp-image-9102\" src=\"https:\/\/walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/Teresabernini.jpeg\" alt=\"The Ecstacy of Saint Teresa was a clear departure from the religious art of the past, but once critics overcame their shock, the sculpture came to be widely regarded as an exceptional depiction and work of art. Photo by Napoleon Vier\" width=\"600\" height=\"600\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-9102\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Ecstasy of Saint Teresa was a clear departure from the religious art of the past, but once critics overcame their shock, the sculpture came to be widely regarded as an exceptional depiction and work of art. | Photo by Napoleon Vier<\/p><\/div>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Bernini pushed the humanistic and emotive style of Baroque art to the extreme, shocking common people and connoisseurs alike. His art was sensual, extraordinarily lifelike, and scandalous compared to the Classical\u00a0or Renaissance styles that hewed to strict rules about how religious figures could and <em>should\u00a0<\/em>be depicted.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Bernini\u2019s masterpiece, the <em>Ecstasy of Saint Teresa<\/em> is the culmination of this sensuous-to-the-point-of-blasphemy style. Located in the Cornaro Chapel in <em>Santa Maria della Vittoria<\/em> in Rome, it depicts an angel thrusting a spear into Saint Teresa\u2019s breast, bringing the swooning, rapturous saint into the clouds in a scene of ecstasy&#8230;ahem, religious ecstasy, that is. Nothing erotic to see here, no siree. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The statue is illuminated with golden sunbursts and natural\u00a0lighting from hidden windows that remind the viewer, once again, of Bernini\u2019s love of theater and stage design. Perhaps even more shocking than the Saint\u2019s clear physical ecstasy are the carved statues of\u00a0Cornaro family members\u00a0watching, as if in a theater. But then, they did commission the work.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Despite, or perhaps because of its obviously sexual tones, the scene is now one of the most celebrated religious sculptures in Rome, if not the world. It is so striking, in fact, that the sculpture persuaded even the most hard-line skeptics of Bernini during \u00a0his time to concede that he was a unique talent in the Western world.<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_9108\" style=\"width: 479px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-9108\" class=\"wp-image-9108 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/469px-Gian_lorenzo_bernini_selfportrait.jpg\" alt=\"Gian Lorenzo Bernini's Self-portrait as a Mature Man\" width=\"469\" height=\"599\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-9108\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Gian Lorenzo Bernini&#8217;s Self-portrait as a Mature Man, painted between 1630 and 1635. Photo from the Galleria Borghese<\/p><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"FAQ%C2%B4S_%E2%80%93_Gian_Lorenzo_Bernini\"><\/span>FAQ\u00b4S &#8211; Gian Lorenzo Bernini<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Was_Bernini_more_a_sculptor_or_an_architect\"><\/span>Was Bernini more a sculptor or an architect?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Bernini excelled at both. While he is best known today for his sculpture, especially emotionally charged marble figures, he was equally influential as an architect and urban designer. His work shaped Rome\u2019s public spaces, combining sculpture, architecture, and movement into unified, theatrical compositions.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Why_is_Bernini_considered_the_defining_artist_of_Baroque_Rome\"><\/span>Why is Bernini considered the defining artist of Baroque Rome?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Bernini brought drama, emotion, and movement to an unprecedented level. He transformed static stone into scenes that feel alive, using light, setting, and gesture to engage viewers emotionally. His vision didn\u2019t just decorate Rome, it fundamentally shaped how the city looks and feels today.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Can_Berninis_art_be_enjoyed_without_deep_art_history_knowledge\"><\/span>Can Bernini\u2019s art be enjoyed without deep art history knowledge?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Absolutely. One of Bernini\u2019s greatest strengths is accessibility. His works are designed to provoke an immediate emotional response, awe, wonder, shock, or delight. Even without knowing the stories behind them, his sculptures and spaces are deeply engaging and memorable.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Where_can_I_see_the_most_famous_works_by_Bernini_in_Rome\"><\/span>Where can I see the most famous works by Bernini in Rome?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Bernini\u2019s masterpieces are spread throughout the city rather than housed in a single museum. Highlights include St. Peter\u2019s Basilica and Piazza San Pietro, Piazza Navona, the Borghese Gallery, Ponte Sant\u2019Angelo, and several Roman churches such as Santa Maria della Vittoria. Exploring Rome on foot is often the best way to encounter his work in context.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_15690\" style=\"width: 1034px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-15690\" class=\"wp-image-15690 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/7-Rome_Pristine-Sistine-High-Res-0017.jpg\" alt=\"St. Peter\u2019s Basilica\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-15690\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Join a guided walk to hear the stories about the makers, movers and shakers who created the Rome we can see today<\/p><\/div>\n<p><strong>If Bernini\u2019s masterpieces have captured your imagination, there\u2019s no better way to see them than in person.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/rome-tours\/private-borghese-gallery-tour\/\"><strong data-start=\"214\" data-end=\"256\">Join our Private Borghese Gallery Tour<\/strong> <\/a>and enjoy exclusive, expert-guided access to one of Rome\u2019s richest collections of Bernini sculpture and Baroque art. With a local guide to bring the stories behind each work to life, you\u2019ll experience the passion, drama, and genius of Bernini up close.<\/p>\n<p><strong data-start=\"510\" data-end=\"606\">Book your private tour today and step inside the world of one of history\u2019s greatest artists.<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Gian Lorenzo Bernini (1598-1680) was one of Italy&#8217;s most beloved and prolific artists. His career spans some 70 years and includes everything from fountains and vases to grand palazzi and office buildings. He designed churches, painted portraits, and sculpted major biblical scenes and famous busts for six different popes. Though his mother was Neapolitan and [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":40,"featured_media":22474,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[87,68,69,76,18],"ppma_author":[161],"class_list":["post-9100","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-art-culture","tag-architecture","tag-art","tag-history","tag-museums","tag-rome"],"authors":[{"term_id":161,"user_id":40,"is_guest":0,"slug":"ginamussio","display_name":"Gina Mussio","avatar_url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/d9497ce1b0417babd82886ad23b18998?s=96&d=mm&r=g","user_url":"","last_name":"Mussio","first_name":"Gina","job_title":"","description":"Gina is a Midwesterner living in Lombardy, Italy where she writes about Italian culture, travel and food. She is a bilingual primary school teacher by day, forever interested in developing cross-culture communication skills across languages. Gina loves touring Italy's beautiful and tiny borghi with her family and exploring Italy's culture through its culinary history."}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9100"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/40"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9100"}],"version-history":[{"count":19,"href":"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9100\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":24662,"href":"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9100\/revisions\/24662"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/22474"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9100"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9100"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9100"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/ppma_author?post=9100"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}