Lesson 5: The Young Bernini

Carraci and Caravaggio
Quiz two weeks from now.

Return to Caravaggio
St. Matthew and the angel- guiding the hand of St. Matthew.

He is writing almost as an ignorant man. The inscription is in Hebrew. There is am ambiguity here. How deep is the ignorance of Matthew? Look at his face. This face is very important. At first he just looks like an old man. He reminds us of the ancient Roman busts of philosophers. Socrates is recalled in this painting. Socrates is known for not having left any literature. He is able to incorporate images and concepts which create an ambiguity. He creates the paradox of Ignorance and Philosophy. This is very realistic and the other version of it is more dignified.

Bernini- self portrait
• He was from Naples. Born in the end of the 16th century. He was from a Florentine family. Naples was the biggest city in Europe and he was commissioned to do many works there. His father Pietro Bernini was a sculptor as well. They came to Rome when Bernini was still a child (15 or 16 years old). Pietro was commissioned to do a work in Santa Maria Maggiore. John Lorenzo Bernini moved in this area.
• Santa Maria Maggiore is close to Termini and this is where he chose to live. Santa Maria Maggiore is one of the greatest churches in Rome. It dedicated to the cult of the virgin Mary. This was where all the cardinals had their own villas. They lived among gardens and they overlooked Santa Maria Maggiore. Bernini was living in between the “abitato” and the countryside.
• He moves just behind San Pietro. In the 1630’s there is the reign of Urban VIII. His name is Maffeo Barberini. He commissioned the a great canopy. This is the great altar of with bronze spiral columns. He was working 24 hours a day in San Pietro.
• After this, he went to live near the Spanish steps in Villa della Percidere. Everyone would come to Bernini to get a bust of themselves. It is there that Bernini died. This became a mythical place in Europe.
• He was invited to redesign the Louvre in Paris. These plans were rejected. This could be because he was too advanced. The style of architecture in Rome had an advanced vocabulary the was not understood outside of Rome.
• Bernini was 15 when he was a good sculptor. He was already recalling from antiquity. We could se this throughout his work. Today we can see his work throughout the city and especially in the Vatican. There are three sculptures that are fundamental to Bernini. These sculptures were all important. They were more or less created in the Renaissance. Some of them are copies of greek sculpture in ancient Roman times.
o Torso Belvedere
• This could be something that you study and complete in you mind.
o Apollo Belvedere
• in movement. This is the prototype.
o Laocoon
• Leave me alone… I’m in love.- Bernini said this when he was studying this sculpture. This image of the body in this state and how the body reacts to sorrow and despair was important to study.
• This was unearthed in the age of Michelangelo in 1536. He was a witness to the unearthing of this.
o These were all found again during the age of Michelangelo. The only people who got these from spoils of war was Napoleon.
o These were all part of the Vatican collection.
o These are even more important because they are good studies of anatomy because of all of the muscles. Belvedere is something you could study and complete with your mind. EX Apollo Belvedere has no arms so we can fill in the blanks with our mind. For example the famous Thinker by Rodin has some of the same parts as the Apollo Belvedere. This shows how influential this was.
o Bernini was copying these sculptures of classical perfection. We will see later the Apollo and Daphne is an Apollo Belvedere in movement. We will see how Bernini has energized this sculpture into something new.
o Ares – Bernini restored the sculpture because the patrons of Rome wanted him to. This sculpture was unearthed more or less in the time of Bernini. He had become an expert because he studied so closely the ancient sculptures. Bernini tries to energize the classical sense of the ancient world. Bernini uses more spiritual kind of expressions and not the old renaissance smile.
Putto (child) on a Dolphin- Bernini
• 19-20 was his age at the time of making this. This is one of the first sculpture where he shows the sculpting tendencies of his father. Bernini was born mostly in the workshop by breathing the dust of the marble because his father was a prolific sculptor. His father had decorated Florence, Naples, and Rome.
• There is a similarity between Putto on a Dragon and Putto on a Dolphin. You can see the similarity.
• The Dragon was a symbol of the Borghese family so probably the sculpture of the the Dragon and the Putto was a Borghese commission.
• The Putto and the Dophin, Bernini’s sculpture, has more of a reaction. The scream shows that he is feeling pain. This is what interested Bernini: The cause and the effect. Bernini’s sculpture was to be looked at from all around. This is another sign of independce. It is bitten by a dolphin
Satyr Molested by Putti- Bernini 1616-7

• There is an effort made on the side of Bernini. He is trying to show that he can do everything.
• He is showing that he can move the sculpture as if it is made of wax. They move paradoxically almost one against the other. The Satyr is a hybrid between an animal and a human figure. He is half horse, have human. He is a bit timid.
• There is no particular literature. There is no text that we can find a date for this sculpture. This is just an demonstration of what he can do. Demonstrazione dell’arte. This is a manifesto. It says “this is what I can do.” Up to the death of Bernini, this sculpture was located on the staircase on the way to the studio. Well what is it that he is doing?
• He is imitating Michelangelo.
o Bacchuas By Michelangelo
• This in 1500 was considered a great piece. He had competed with the ancient world and had won. According to the critics of the 1500’s, he had beaten even the ancients. He had reached an apex. We are talking about the ancient Greek/ Roman sculptures of about 1000 years ago.
• Vasari- He was great biographer of the artists during the Renaissance. He said that Michelangelo had stated reached the apex in all the arts and was the most important artist to be imitated. Any other artists after Michelangelo tried to be a new M. Bernini is the first one of this kind.
• The Satyr is eating grapes resembles Caravaggio’s self portrait with the controposto.
• The signature that Bernini is imitating Michelangelo is in the one tooth. There is only one tooth on the satyr. This shows that this is the imitation of Michelangelo. This resembles a mythical sculpture of a head of a satyr that was done by Michelangelo. The emperor (patron) asked that the satyr only have one tooth. He then changed it right there. This shows the relationship between the patron and the artist. This shows that the patron can change the idea behind a sculpture. This shows what he can do and what Bernini has to do.
Martyrdom of St. Lawrence- Bernini, 1617, originally for Cardinal Barberini, then Leon Strazzi in Florence.

• Bernini is still 19-20 years old. Who is St. Lawrence? He was an early Christian martyr. He lived in the third century after Christ. He was killed and martyred in Rome under the Emperor Valerian. He was a Spaniard who arrived in Rome because he wanted to visit the tomb of Peter. Lawrence in Rome became a deacon of the church and he was the head of all of the money.
• Allum and alum vero. Lawrence decided to kill the emperor. This is the moment in which he said “I am done! You can turn me over on the other side.” He is looking upward toward divine light. He is being illuminated up to a superficial light. He is in a private colloquium with the divinity. “Rome will be a Christian city.” He said this at the moment of death, Lawrence anticipated what has happened (about Christ). Any viewer in the 17th centiry, would have found himself connected to this sculpture.
• How did Bernini Construct the sculpture?
o This is very polished marble. The face of Lawrence was very close to the face of Christ in the pieta by Michelangelo. Lawrence is seen as a second Christ. This is type of Martyrdom that has always been identified with the early Christian Christ. This is like how Francis is Christ in terms of Caravaggio. In the Lawrence by Bernini there is the Christ of Michelangelo. Lawrence is seen as the Altri Cristus (other Christ). He is the new Christ and the new Adam. The arm and the knee of the center of the Sistine Chapel is the same as the arm and the knee of this. The imitation of Michelangelo is not just stylistic, but it shows that Lawrence is an “altri cristus.” This is exteremely important.
o The biographers of Bernini said that he had burnt himself to see the effects of burning on skin. The detail is too good. Certain areas are more polished and some are less polished. The hair is left more unpolished. Even the hair is very close to adam’s hair.
• Who is Cardinal Baronious? He was reviving early Christian martyrs. We spoke about him in Santa Maria in Vallicella. He was a cardinal living in 17th century Rome. He was reviving the early Christian martyr at a time when the church was divided. Cardinals tried to revive these stories of early Christian martyrs to show that these early saints suffered here … in Rome. They legitimized that the head of the chruch is in Rome. This very important. Most of the early churches in Rome have depictions of early Christian martyrs.
• Cardinal Barberini- he was a friend of Bernini. He was made Cardinal by the reigning pope who was Paul V Borghese and he was a close friend of Bernini.
• Cardnial Leone Strozzi- Florentine banker living in Rome. Barberini was also from Florence. Why whould a Florentine commission such a subject?
o Lawrence is the patron saint of Florence. The main cathedral in Florence is San Lorenzo where the Medici, the rulers of Florence, would go. Among the Medici was Lawrence the Magnificent. Every Florentine living in Rome might have wanted a St. Lawrence in his villa. Also it would have been important for it to have Michelangelo-esque elements. Michelangelo is from Florence and both Florentine patrons might have loved it for this reason. If Bernini is going to become the new Michelangelo these patrons (Barberini or Strozzi) are going to be at the status of the two great patrons of Michelangelo (Lawrence the Magnificent or Julius II).
• Two great Patrons of Michelangelo in the Renaissance
 Julius II was these most ideal pope.
 Lawrence the Magnificent was the most powerful secular ruler.
• Behind the simple commission there is still the political connotation.
• Barberini was the advisor. He told Bernini what to do and in what way. So imitating this and that while Strozzi paid for it.
o Strozzi is the banker
o Barberini is the cultivated Cardinal.
• The Sculpture was probably located in the villa of Strozzi which was probably located near the studio of Bernini.
• Barberini wrote poetry- There is one dedicated to St. Lawrence “The Passion of St. Lawrence.” In the end there is Lawrence turning to face God. So literally you see the two patrons appearing through sculpture. He has one called “St. Lawrence looking up as god.”
• Barberini is going to be Pope Urbino VIII
St. Sebastian – Bernini, Originally for Cardinal Maffeo Barberini, 1617, now in the Thyssen-Bornemisza Collection, Madrid.
• Mantagna – ST. SEBASTIAN- He is tied on a column and is pierced by many arrows. This represents the ideal St. Sebastian. The triumphal arch behind him is crumbling to show the crumbling of paganism. The ancient classical capital is crumbling.
• Bernini’s Sebastian is not as disfigured. He is not celebrating the martyrdom of Sebastian. His eyes are closed. He is seated on a marble something or a tree trunk. There is a difference here. Bernini is doing exactly what he was doing in St. Lawrence. Bernini is trying to incorporate Christ like images into the San Sebastian. This is closer to the face of Christ than the last one to the pieta by Michelangelo. His general expression. This is bathed by light. The face is trying to catch the light. He is making a reference to images of Christ. (Traditional images of Christ.) The close up of Christ- the intimate view. This is more dramatic. This is not Christ on the cross. This gives the impression of viewer and image close up.
o The closest model is a Christ by Michelangelo. This was located in Rome. It was probably located in the church of San Agostino. This is still unfinished. There are many sections that are unfinished.
• “Entombment” or “Transportation of Christ to the Seplucar.” By Michelangelo.
 The similarity between the two is quite strong. The face The body of Christ is the ideal sepentine figure. ALSO because Sebastian is also another form of Christ.
• This has a double moment. Soldiers tried to kill him with hundreds of arrows. His body is healed even after he was pierced by arrows. His body appeared in a vision to a woman. A woman found Sebastian and she took care of him. He woke up. After that he went to the emperor and told him that he was still alive testify what the pagan emperors were doing to the Christians. He advertised is healing and his martyrdom. He was killed after.
• The Chapel we saw with of body of San Sebastian was commissioned by Barberini. He probably had asked Bernini to make this sculpture for that place.
• This is the moment that Bernini’s Sebastian is dead, but still alive. This is an important point especially if we see Lawrence as a second Christ. Christ too here is dead, yet alive because he is going to resurrect in three days. This is similar to the Michelangelo’s Christ which is dead, but he is still alive and will resurrect. The men await to awaken. Look at the face of Bernini’s Sebastian. This is not that face of someone who has been tortured. This I a man who is asleep and awaiting the resurrection.
• Bernini’s Sebastian. Has a dead leg and the other is ready to step. There is one hand that is dead and the other is ready. The dead hand is the same as the hand of Adam in the “Creation of Adam” by Michelangelo.
• He is also emphasizing the Apollo-like beauty of his body. Why? His body should have been disfigured. There are only two arrows and they are located on the sides of the body. They are literally almost hidden. Why is this? The name Sebastian means “sublime” in Greek. Bernini was aware of this meaning and wanted to get the “sublime” across. By contemplating the beauty of Sebastian, the Christians would only understand this to be the beauty of being Christian.
• Remember that Bernini is less than 20. He is younger than us and he is already competing with Michelangelo.

Engraving –Montanga
• Bacchus
o Bacchic spirit. Bacchus Is almost dead. He is the Bacchic state. In this image it is life and death
The images of St. Sebastian were very influential.


Medusa- Caravaggio , 1600-01, patron: probably Cardinal del Monte as a gift for the duke of Tuscany Ferdinand de Medici

• This was painted in the beginning of the 17th century. 1601.
• Cardinal del Monte. This was a gift to the Duke of Tuscany. Medici. Why though?
o What is the story of Medusa? How did she die? She wanted to compare her beauty to one of the goddesses, but then she got turned into a monster. At the end Persius. Persius could not look at her or else he would turn into stone, so he looked at her reflection. He used his shield that was as polished as a mirror and made her see her own reflection in the shield. She looked at herself and she was turned to stone. In the image she is going to be “petrified.” This fear is the announcement of her death.
o The painting is shaped as a shield. This is the shield of Persius. It is the very moment that she is turning into stone.
o Why is this in Florence? In Piazza Della Signoria (sp?) where they have the copy of the David and many other sculptures most of the sculptures are looking at one point. They are looking toward one bronze sculpture. This is the statue of Persius holding the head of medusa. In this piazza there is whole concept. Medusa is transforming everyone into stone. This means that everyone in the piazza is turning to stone.
o At this time, the head of Medusa was a very famous painting by Leonardo. Leonardo’s painting is lost, but any artist who wants to compete with him had to make a Medusa.
o While Leonardo was in Rome he was studying everything. Among his projects he was making something very strange. He was assembling different parts of different animals together. He created a type of dragon. He was perceived as a magician. This is something that was perpetuated a s a myth. This is why this would have been a good subject for a Medici.
• Caravaggio is trying to recompose the medusa. It was located above. Medusa is looking down. The blood is falling down and the snakes are looking down as well. It also imitated several drawings by Michelangelo.
• This became an extremely famous painting and Bernini saw it.

Damned and Blessed Soul- Bernini- commissioned by Cardinal Montoya. Now in the Embassy of Spain, 1619.
This was probably for his (Montoya) tomb. This was located near the Spanish steps… (It is called the Spanish Steps because the Spanish embassy is there).
• The blessed
o She is looking toward heaven. She is looking upward.
o Flowers in her hair. Looks like someone from the 60’s. “Summer of love.”
• The damned
o It represents the soul that is going to hell. This resembles the facial expression of Medusa.
• Who are they? They are related to the Quattro Novissimi.
o Four prayers. These were made famous by the Jesuits. These are recited at the moment of death. Moment in which you die. The judgment. Then you either end up in Paradise… or hell.
o These sculptures probably correspond with this.

In the 1620’s Bernini was already considered an amazing artist. He had worked for great patrons. Cardinal Barberini is then elected pope. Then we see the end of his tri-patronage. We will see this in Villa Borghese. He comes out of the privat patronage into the public patronage.

Santa Bibiana- Bernini, patron: Urbino VIII Barberini, 1624-26, Rome
• This is the first architecture the Bernini did. He was commission to do both the sculpture and the church itself. Thisis near the Railways station (Termini).
• He was asked to restore the small church.
• The facade is almost a screen against the medieval basilica. He does not destroy the medieval basilica. It is presented as if it is relic. You can still see the ancient medieval wall behind. This is very important because we see many of the famous churches that were restored in the baroque era were restored like this.
• There is an incredible play between light and dark. The loggia is for a papal visit when the pope comes to bless the crowd. It is also to show the remains of Bibiana.
• The church as a palace like atmosphere. They believed that this could have also been her palace.
• The box- built by Bernini.
• The church as been built in, but inside there is still the medieval church
• There is a beautiful altar with a statue of Bibiana. This is done about 10 years after the other ones and he moves toward the high Baroque fashion.

Sculpture of Santa Bibiana- Bernini patron: Urbino VIII Barberini, 1624-26, Rome

• He moves toward the high baroque sculpture. Through the arch behind her, there is a source of light. There is a window. This illuminated the statue. In the center of the arch there is a medallion with god painted on it. God is looking down at the sculpture of Vivian, light is behind her. Her is looking at the light and at the same time God is receiving Vivian in heaven.
• The drapery of the garments.
• Every single leaf is beautiful. Bibiana was associated with medical healing because she had used herbs to heal. That is why we see medical herbs close to her. The crown of martyrdom is painted in gold. It I sthe first time that we see in the history of architecture a sculpture that is located in an architectural niche that is responding to the rest of the church.
• The three arts are playing together for a final effect. Bernini experimented this here for the first time.
o The paintings are by Cortona.
o Cortona and Bernini restored the inside.