Wednesday Wisdom

WHO

Gian Lorenzo Bernini (1598–1680) was an Italian sculptor, architect, painter, and playwright who played a crucial role in the Baroque art movement. He was one of the most influential artists of his time, and his work had a profound impact on the development of Baroque art and architecture. Bernini was born on December 7, 1598, in Naples, Italy. He showed early artistic talent, and his father, a sculptor, recognized and nurtured his abilities. Bernini's career flourished in Rome, where he received important commissions from several popes, including Pope Urban VIII. As a youth, he was compared to Michealangelo in talent, and he nourished that reputation throughout his career. This led to an association with the papal family and played a significant role in his patronage and success.

As a young prodigy at just 23 years of age - he sculptured Pluto, the god of the underworld, abducting the goddess Proserpina, the daughter of Jupiter (above). This is an early example how Bernini’s sculptures capture the dynamic movement in stone.

What he Produced

Bernini was renowned for his skill in sculpting marble and creating dynamic, emotive sculptures. His works often depicted intense moments of narrative or emotion. Notable sculptures include "Apollo and Daphne," "The Ecstasy of Saint Teresa," and "David." Michealangelo’s David captures and honors the hero of David, who defeats the much larger Phillistine Goliath. In Bernini’s sculpture of David, the figure is dynamic as it shows him in the act of heroism and bravery in defeating the giant Goliath and reflects the difference between the Renaissance and the Baroque era.

In addition to sculpture, Bernini made significant contributions to architecture. He designed and oversaw the construction of several prominent buildings in Rome, including the colonnade in St. Peter's Square, the Baldacchino in St. Peter's Basilica, and the famous elliptical colonnade at the Piazza San Pietro. Bernini was also known for his innovative fountain designs. His sculptures and architecture aimed to engage the viewer emotionally and spiritually, reflecting the dramatic and emotional sensibilities of the Baroque period. Most of Bernini's major works are located in Rome, where his artistry had a lasting impact on the city's artistic and architectural landscape. His creations are integral to the Baroque aesthetic that defines Rome. Bernini's career spanned several decades, and he continued working into his later years. His influence extended beyond his lifetime, shaping the trajectory of Baroque art and inspiring subsequent generations of artists.

2023 why do we care?

The Fountain of the Four Rivers (1651) is one of Rome's most iconic fountains, commissioned by the Pope. The four river gods represent major rivers through which the papal authority spread: the Nile (Africa), the Danube (Europe), the Ganges (Asia) and Río de la Plata (Americas). The Fountain is a famous example, showcasing his ability to create dynamic, theatrical water features. Bernini's work is often characterized by a sense of theatricality and dynamism. This is located in Piazza Navona and rising from the middle is a large obelisk, which is a symbol of power from ancient Egypt.

It would be hard to travel around Rome without falling over a Bernini sculpture. Another of his works is the Elephant and the Obelisk which is located in the Piazza Del Minerva. The Egyptian obelisk and elephant harken back to the glory days of the Roman Empire while the cross on top honors the spread of Christianity.

Michelangelo is seen as the greatest sculptor in western history with perhaps only Bernini and Rhodin in his class. However, some would argue, Bernini’s technical mastery even surpassed the Renaissance genius. Bernini pioneered Baroque sculpture, injecting movement and energy into the human form. What sets Bernini apart is the way he pushed the boundaries of sculpture, creating works that seem to capture movement and emotion in an exceptionally vivid and dramatic manner, forever changing the aesthetics of this artwork.

While Bernini’s works were usually a patronage of the Papacy, they were meant as works of art and a continuation of the Renaissance that blended classic antiquity with Christianity. They were meant to enhance the beauty and grandeur of Rome by depicting its rich history and the church’s influence.

Bernini also seemingly honors classical Greek, Hellenic and Roman philosophy on the vestige. On one side of the statue the Elephant and the Obelisk is a Latin inscription. It reads; “Let any beholder of the carved images of the wisdom of Egypt on the obelisk carried by the elephant, the strongest of beasts, realize that it takes a robust mind to carry solid wisdom.”

And now you know...

Philosophy is the art of thinking, the building block of progress that shapes critical thinking across economics, ethics, religion, and science. 

METAPHYSICS: Literally, the term metaphysics means ‘beyond the physical.’ Typically, this is the branch that most people think of when they picture philosophy. In metaphysics, the goal is to answer the what and how questions in life. Who are we, and what are time and space?

LOGIC: The study of reasoning. Much like metaphysics, understanding logic helps to understand and appreciate how we perceive the rest of our world. More than that, it provides a foundation for which to build and interpret arguments and analyses. 

ETHICS: The study of morality, right and wrong, good and evil. Ethics tackles difficult conversations by adding weight to actions and decisions. Politics takes ethics to a larger scale, applying it to a group (or groups) of people. Political philosophers study political governments, laws, justice, authority, rights, liberty, ethics, and much more.

AESTHETICS: What is beautiful? Philosophers try to understand, qualify, and quantify what makes art what it is. Aesthetics also takes a deeper look at the artwork itself, trying to understand the meaning behind it, both art as a whole and art on an individual level. A question an aesthetics philosopher would seek to address is whether or not beauty truly is in the eye of the beholder.

EPISTEMOLOGY: This is the study and understanding of knowledge. The main question is how do we know? We can question the limitations of logic, how comprehension works, and the ability (or perception) to be certain.