Gian Lorenzo Bernini
*7. 12. 1598 – Neapol, Italy
†28. 11. 1680 – Rome, Italy
Biography
Gian Lorenzo Bernini was an Italian Baroque architect, sculptor, and painter. He completed the colonnade of St. Peter's Square in front of St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City.
Bernini's father, Pietro Bernini, was a sculptor originally from Florence who worked at the Neapolitan court. He married Angelica Galante, whom he met during his stay there. In 1605 or 1606, the family moved to Rome, where Pietro Bernini was commissioned by Pope Paul V to decorate the Pauline Chapel in the church of Santa Maria Maggiore. Gian Lorenzo created his works here from a young age, partly also on commissions from the papal family. His first patron was Cardinal Scipione Borghese. Pope Urban VIII considered him a friend and in 1629 appointed him architect of St. Peter's and superintendent of public works in Rome (only four days after the death of the previous architect of the basilica – Carlo Maderno).
On May 15, 1639, he married the impoverished Caterina Tezio (she was 22 years old and Bernini was 40), the daughter of a lawyer; they had 11 children – nine of whom survived their parents (Domenico Bernini was born on August 3, 1657, and later wrote his father's biography). The family lived on Via della Mercede. According to surviving sources, it was a happy marriage. Caterina died in 1673, seven years before Gian Lorenzo.
Before the marriage, there was another woman in Bernini's life – Constanza Bonarelli, the wife of his collaborator Matteo Bonarelli, who was his mistress from around 1635. Apart from her bust, there are speculations that she is also depicted in Divine Love on the tomb of Urban VIII. The relationship ended very dramatically. In 1638, Bernini caught his brother Luigi leaving Constanza's house. He repeatedly physically attacked him and broke two of his ribs. Afterwards, Luigi took refuge in the asylum of Santa Maria Maggiore and subsequently left Rome for Bologna. Bernini had his servant cut Constanza with a razor. For this deed, he was sentenced to pay a fine of 3,000 scudi, due to his prominent position, and his servant was exiled.
Around 1644, French Cardinal Mazarin repeatedly offered Bernini a high annual pension if he relocated to France. Bernini likely considered this after the death of Urban VIII, but ultimately stayed in Italy. In 1664, he was invited, along with Carlo Rainaldi and Pietro da Cortona, by Jean-Baptiste Colbert to plan the completion of the Louvre. His design was accepted, and the French king personally intervened with Pope Alexander VII to allow Bernini to go to Paris – the sculptor departed with an entourage (sculptors Giulio Cesare, Mattia de Rossi, and his second son Paolo) in April 1665. As a guest of Louis XIV, he created four designs for the completion of the Louvre, which were never realized, and a bust of the king. He received 20,000 scudi and a lifelong pension of 2,000 scudi. He left France in October 1665 and returned to Rome in December of the same year. In 1666, a new French Academy was established in Rome, and Bernini became its artistic consultant. Gian Lorenzo expressed very critical views on French art during his stay in Paris; the only work he admired was that of painter Nicolas Poussin.
In 1670, he faced a sex scandal caused by his brother Luigi, who was his assistant. Luigi was expelled from Rome, and Bernini had to pay a high fine.
In 1679, he became paralyzed in his right hand, likely as a result of a stroke. He died at the age of 81 and left a large fortune (400,000 scudi) to his descendants. He is buried in the church of Santa Maria Maggiore.
Gian Lorenzo Bernini was an Italian Baroque architect, sculptor, and painter. He completed the colonnade of St. Peter's Square in front of St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City.
Bernini's father, Pietro Bernini, was a sculptor originally from Florence who worked at the Neapolitan court. He married Angelica Galante, whom he met during his stay there. In 1605 or 1606, the family moved to Rome, where Pietro Bernini was commissioned by Pope Paul V to decorate the Pauline Chapel in the church of Santa Maria Maggiore. Gian Lorenzo created his works here from a young age, partly also on commissions from the papal family. His first patron was Cardinal Scipione Borghese. Pope Urban VIII considered him a friend and in 1629 appointed him architect of St. Peter's and superintendent of public works in Rome (only four days after the death of the previous architect of the basilica – Carlo Maderno).
On May 15, 1639, he married the impoverished Caterina Tezio (she was 22 years old and Bernini was 40), the daughter of a lawyer; they had 11 children – nine of whom survived their parents (Domenico Bernini was born on August 3, 1657, and later wrote his father's biography). The family lived on Via della Mercede. According to surviving sources, it was a happy marriage. Caterina died in 1673, seven years before Gian Lorenzo.
Before the marriage, there was another woman in Bernini's life – Constanza Bonarelli, the wife of his collaborator Matteo Bonarelli, who was his mistress from around 1635. Apart from her bust, there are speculations that she is also depicted in Divine Love on the tomb of Urban VIII. The relationship ended very dramatically. In 1638, Bernini caught his brother Luigi leaving Constanza's house. He repeatedly physically attacked him and broke two of his ribs. Afterwards, Luigi took refuge in the asylum of Santa Maria Maggiore and subsequently left Rome for Bologna. Bernini had his servant cut Constanza with a razor. For this deed, he was sentenced to pay a fine of 3,000 scudi, due to his prominent position, and his servant was exiled.
Around 1644, French Cardinal Mazarin repeatedly offered Bernini a high annual pension if he relocated to France. Bernini likely considered this after the death of Urban VIII, but ultimately stayed in Italy. In 1664, he was invited, along with Carlo Rainaldi and Pietro da Cortona, by Jean-Baptiste Colbert to plan the completion of the Louvre. His design was accepted, and the French king personally intervened with Pope Alexander VII to allow Bernini to go to Paris – the sculptor departed with an entourage (sculptors Giulio Cesare, Mattia de Rossi, and his second son Paolo) in April 1665. As a guest of Louis XIV, he created four designs for the completion of the Louvre, which were never realized, and a bust of the king. He received 20,000 scudi and a lifelong pension of 2,000 scudi. He left France in October 1665 and returned to Rome in December of the same year. In 1666, a new French Academy was established in Rome, and Bernini became its artistic consultant. Gian Lorenzo expressed very critical views on French art during his stay in Paris; the only work he admired was that of painter Nicolas Poussin.
In 1670, he faced a sex scandal caused by his brother Luigi, who was his assistant. Luigi was expelled from Rome, and Bernini had to pay a high fine.
In 1679, he became paralyzed in his right hand, likely as a result of a stroke. He died at the age of 81 and left a large fortune (400,000 scudi) to his descendants. He is buried in the church of Santa Maria Maggiore.
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