I was hooked, and feel head over heels for Bernini and his stunning sculptures. I was fortunate enough to travel to Italy for the first time at the end of that semester, and see many of the works that had captivated me in person. I went on to write my thesis on Bernini, and I know now that he was probably a huge asshole. He was the quintessential egotistical genius artist, making friends and enemies throughout his career, experiencing a few stunning low moments, and pulling a few soap opera-worthy escapades (he was a fiery Italian, after all). The only thing more dramatic than Bernini's life was his work itself.
"Habakkuk and the Angel," from the Chigi Chapel in Rome. All photos taken by me. |
"Daniel and the Lion" from the Chigi Chapel. A terrified Daniel prays for salvation; the lion is just visible licking his foot for a taste. |
Having seen Bernini's sculptures, fountains, and architecture in Rome previously, it was a very different experience seeing these clay models. They read quite differently to me than the marbles, both because of the material and the scale (I was expecting them to be much larger, closer to the size of the finished products). But while different, the clay models are equally beautiful and provided the lucky curators with some fantastic insights into Bernini's working process--these are basically sculpture sketches, and it was fascinating to see which portions Bernini focused on and which he loosely threw in without feeling like a lot of attention was needed at that stage of the process.
My favorite models from the exhibition were the ones for the Four Rivers Fountain. A feat of engineering that still dazzles tourists today, the fountain had four sections representing what were considered the four great rivers of the world (each from a different continent) at the time: the Danube, the Ganges, the Rio de la Plata, and the Nile.
The Four Rivers Fountain. Nearest, the figure representing the Nile sits with covered head, since the headwaters of the Nile had not yet been discovered at the time. |
Anyone who's ever felt a connection to an artist or a work of art knows how different it is to see that work in person versus on the pages of a book or on a screen; I was so thrilled to live near enough to the Kimball for a change to visit some Berninis in the flesh. The works remain on display at the Kimball until May 5, check it out if you're in the area!
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