Customer Reviews

Bernini and the Birth of Baroque Portrait Sculpture

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The catalogue for an exhibition held at the Getty Museum in Los Angeles, which will later go to Ottawa in Canada, this is a high-quality publication which dwells on a seldom studied aspect of the baroque, sculpted portraits of the XVIIth century, by Bernini, Mochi, Algardi or Finelli. Of those, Bernini obviously stands out as a major master, but Algardi and Finelli are not far behind (an impressive Portrait of Antonio Cerri, from 1640, by Algardi, is a complete discovery). Full of wonderful illustrations and interesting essays that place the portraits in their context and distinguish between independent portraits that were meant to ornate the homes of their owners, and portraits which were part of more ambitious projects (monuments or family chapels), the book also dwells on the numerous drawings by Bernini (only one is an actual study for a sculpture, the others being intimate renderings of unknown characters or friends of the artist), as well as on some paintings by Fetti, Sacchi, Piero de Cortone or Bernini himself (portrait of Pope Urbino VIII)and their relationship to the sculpted portrait.

Highly recommended.

How familiar are you with Bernini's oeuvre? I must confess to a limited knowledge centred mainly on his sculptures to be seen in Rome. There are the 2 masterpieces Apollo and Daphne plus the Rape of Persopene on view in the Galleria Borghese. Other great creations are various Roman fountains and evidence of his activity in St Peters. Discovering his many portrait busts as presented in this catalogue has been a revelation and a joy.

Bernini was a supreme master of his sculptural craft. The technical mastery and ability to convey expression and emotion is awesome. This book contrasts his works with, amongst others, two well regarded contemporary sculptors named Allesandro Algardi and Giuliano Finelli. It is an example of the great being the enemy of the good. Bernini's technical prowess and ability to portray the sitter's physiognomic character puts his colleague's work in an altogether lesser light.

Also on view are a number of refined and expressive drawings by Bernini as well as fine related paintings from artists active in the same era.

This is a beautifully presented catalogue with interesting text and generously sized high quality reproductions. The asking price for this soft cover issue is very reasonable.