There is one artest that stands out to me in a couple of different ways. This artest has not only been a fantastic sculpture maker of his time but also was a fantastic architect and painter. He worked as an Italian artist but worked primarily in Rome. He was born in 1598 on December 7th and dies 81 years later on 1680 on November 28th. This artest also worked with the architect, Francesco Borromini and the painter and architect, Pietro de Cortona. Who am I talking about? Gian Lorenzo Bernini.
Bernini was born to a Mannerist sculptor. His father, Pietro Bernini, is originally from Florence. His mother was Angelica Galante, a Neapolitan. His father was involved in many high profit projects in Rome and at the age of seven Gian Lorenzo Bernini fallowed his father to Rome. His young skill was soon discovered by many important people in Rome such as, painter Annibale Carracci and by Pope Paul V. Then he gained the important patronage of Cardinal Scipione Borghese, the papal nephew.
Young Bernini rapidly rose to prominence as a sculptor under the patronage of Cardinal Scipione Borghese. Making sculpter after sculpter. In 1665 he was at the hight of his fame and power. Why was Gian Lorenzo Bernini one of the best of his time? Because he created art that spoke to people in a different way. He created pieces of art from extravagant sculptures, and paintings, to buildings, and fountains. His work spoke to people in a emotional, spiritual, and impacting maner.
One of Bernini's sculptures was the life-sized marble sculpture named Apollo and Daphne. Bernini started this sculpter when he was at the age of twenty-four and executed between 1622 and 1625. This is an unprecedented masterpiece for Cardinal Scipione Borghese depicting the chaste nymph Daphne being turned into a laurel tree, pursued in vain by Apollo god of light. Engraved on the cartouche on the base, says: Those who love to pursue fleeting forms of pleasure, in the end find only leaves and bitter berries in their hands. Not only were his pieces of work extravagant, but just by engraving something so little as the saying on this sculpter, makes it even more impacting to the viewer. It gives a little more meaning into why he built it and what he was trying to get across. This piece has always been housed in the same Cardinal's villa, but originally stood on a lower and narrower base set against the wall near the stairs.
Most of Bernini's work expresse emotion and feeling. People can relate to things like that because like Bernini's work, many times in a persons life they are faced with things that will be emotional and will express feeling. When they are faced with extravagant work like Bernini's they realize that emotion that its expressing and it brings out the emotions that they are feeling inside. Many times when people see the work of Bernini they may start crying, laughing, or stand at a silence because they realize they are relating to the art and the emotions that its expressing.
