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Gian Lorenzo Bernini

Type Figure Region Italy Time 1598–1680 Also known as Bernini

Gian Lorenzo Bernini was the foremost Italian Baroque sculptor, architect, and painter, hailed as the "father of Baroque."

Timeline

  1. 1598–1605Naples · CampaniaBernini was born in Naples; his father, Pietro Bernini, was a Florentine sculptor. He learned carving from his father from childhood, displaying remarkable talent and producing fine works while still a boy.
  2. 1605–1623Rome · LazioIn 1605 the family moved to Rome, and Bernini quickly rose to fame under the patronage of the Borghese family. His early masterpieces Apollo and Daphne and Pluto and Proserpina demonstrated his extraordinary command of marble and the dynamic Baroque aesthetic.
  3. 1623–1665Rome · LazioAfter Urban VIII ascended the papal throne in 1623, Bernini became the chief artist of the papal court, directing great works such as the bronze baldachin of St. Peter's Basilica, the Chair of Saint Peter, and the Fountain of the Four Rivers in Piazza Navona. In 1647 the Ecstasy of Saint Teresa fused sculpture, architecture, and light, reaching the pinnacle of Baroque art.
  4. 1665–1680Rome · LazioIn his later years Bernini designed the colonnade of St. Peter's Square (1656–1667), creating a solemn space with its embracing colonnades. In 1665 he traveled to France to serve Louis XIV but returned home after clashing with court taste. He died in Rome on November 28, 1680, and was buried in Santa Maria Maggiore.

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