Gian Lorenzo Bernini

**JoshuaTheJames** · August 4th, 2003, 11:44 PM

I am insane for this guys art! His sculptures are on the level of Michelangelo's but his fresh style and his illustrative and theatrical approach can melt the viewer. If you enjoy his art I urge you to do a little studying on his life... Its very interesting and the politics he had to deal with are quite humorous...
the Politics really never end. Heh.

Hah! here's one of those humorous things I was speaking of ... He has his subject as if a facade of a building in it's viewing is soo bad it hurts ...a quarrel with another artist. Can't remember the other artist name, but I'm pretty sure the other artist was a nephew of the Pope...giving him the upper hand in any quarrel...

I also think its damn funny that the Roman's thought Egyptian Obelisk were soo cool that the would plop them down anywhere...

-Joshua

**Jason Manley** · August 5th, 2003, 01:02 AM

hey josh...perhaps you might do some studies of those figures.

j

**egerie** · August 5th, 2003, 10:13 AM

The facial expression on the slingman is absolutely gorgeous.

Will pounce the web and library for that artist as you recommended. Thanks !

ege, slowly getting back into the art funk

**Nordstrand, T** · August 21st, 2003, 07:05 AM

Joshua, I just got back from vacation and this is a welcome reminder indeed.

These are all standing in Rome, and their beauty is not at all justified by these silly graphics. I came for Caravaggios and the odd Velasquez, but got lost studying David's toes. His TOES gabnamit! (for you other people, David's the guy with the sling and the uber-intense facial expression - said to be a self-portrait of the artist). And Daphne and Apollo... the transluceny of the marble, the remarkable different surface textures, perfect harmony of motion...

It's a long way from the states, but it will be worth the trip, I swear. If some of the pictures I took come out right, I'll post them here for additional drool.

**Beatnik** · August 23rd, 2003, 08:11 AM

Truly spectacular work. I would love an opportunity to see them in person some day... especially the first one. I can't get over the beauty of the expression alone.

**Bboy Waldo** · September 8th, 2003, 09:11 AM

Ah Good ol Bernini, the ultimate God of the Baroque. Well the sculpture part of it, im partial to Caravaggio as well. Do take into note that these pieces took sometimes years to complete and were not just made by Bernini's hand alone, you should consider him more of the director of an entire force of insanely talented people who slaved away to build these absolutely perfect pieces of art.

Tyler

**rimwalker** · September 9th, 2003, 04:41 AM

So many of those artists from that time period simply blow me away.

As an aside... Anybody read "Angels & Demons"? I forget the author's name but in the novel (a work of fiction) he postulates Bernini's role with the Illuminati and that the Egyptian oblesks were used as markers by the secret society. It was an amusing read for this art student. The ambigrams in that book were cool too.

**pvrhye** · October 31st, 2003, 11:29 AM

See that big wood thing over the altar. It could be noted that it is about 8 stories tall.

**Prometheus|ANJ** · October 31st, 2003, 12:39 PM

Very nice indeed. If I ever get filthy rich I'm gonna fill my palace garden with statues of nude muses, nymphs and whatever else greek nude stuff.

Looks like he used the smooth filter on the slingshot guy tho. I think michelangelos stuff had more sharp edges and curves meeting other curves in a sharp manner if you get what I mean... More definition.

**pvrhye** · October 31st, 2003, 12:58 PM

The slingshot guy would be David. He has been a common theme since the quatrocento (1400's). The trend was started by Donatello.

**Main Loop** · November 3rd, 2003, 03:41 PM

i think i like Bernini's sculpture a bit more than Michaelangelo.. Probly just cuz i like Baroque more than Renaissance..

**pvrhye** · November 3rd, 2003, 03:58 PM

I belive Bernini came before Michaelangelo (if I remember correctly Michaelangelo was a student of his.). In any case, I definitely prefer baroque. Particularly tenaebrism.

**Bboy Waldo** · November 3rd, 2003, 10:34 PM

A little art history lesson,

Bernini is from the Baroque era and lived from 1598-1680, Michelangelo is from the Rennesiance and lived from 1475 - 1564. Needless to say pretty far apart. The pope blessed Bernini when he was 19 that he would be the next michelangelo. Obviously from his work he stood up to the task.

Also that stucture, pvrhye mentioned was wood, is actually bronze, quite amazing I must say.

As for my personal opinion, I believe the work created by the workshop of Bernini are the most marvelous sculptures created by human hands.

As for Bernini's David I think its superior in reguards to the fact that Bernini sculpted David in the middle of the motion, capturing that determined emotion. That suddle moment of fury before the strike. Michelangelo's David is 14 tall, so there for quite magnificent on that regard, but its very classical greek with its contraposto stance, nothing ground breaking. I think bernini took sculpture to a new level with his action and emotion.

Tyler