Gian Lorenzo Bernini

Lore & Background

Bernini was born in Naples to Angelica Galante and Mannerist sculptor Pietro Bernini. Recognized as a prodigy at age eight, he was encouraged by his father and gained the favor of Pope Paul V, who called him 'the Michelangelo of his century.' In 1606 his father moved the family to Rome for a papal commission, and Bernini rarely left the city thereafter, except for a five-month stay in Paris for King Louis XIV and brief work-related trips. Under the patronage of Cardinal Scipione Borghese, Bernini rose rapidly as a sculptor. His early works include collaborative pieces with his father, such as The Goat Amalthea with the Infant Jupiter and a Faun (now deattributed) and Boy with a Dragon. His reputation was established by four masterpieces executed between 1619 and 1625: Aeneas, Anchises, and Ascanius; The Rape of Proserpina; Apollo and Daphne; and David, all now in the Galleria Borghese. He also restored ancient works like the Sleeping Hermaphroditus.

Reader's Guide

Bernini's significance lies in his role as the leading sculptor of his age and his creation of the Baroque style of sculpture. His ability to synthesize sculpture, painting, and architecture into a coherent whole has been termed the 'unity of the visual arts' by art historian Irving Lavin. He designed secular buildings, churches, chapels, public squares, fountains, funerary monuments, and temporary structures for funerals and festivals. His technical versatility and skill in marble made him a worthy successor of Michelangelo. While his works are often seen as expressions of Counter-Reformation Catholicism, some scholars argue that Bernini maintained a degree of freedom from that mindset. His influence was pan-European, and his name is instantaneously identifiable with a particular manner and vision.

Did You Know?

• Bernini was the sixth of thirteen children.
• He wrote, directed, and acted in plays, mostly Carnival satires, and designed stage sets and theatrical machinery.
• The Goat Amalthea with the Infant Jupiter and a Faun, long attributed to Bernini, was formally removed from his catalog in 2022.
• He produced designs for lamps, tables, mirrors, and coaches.