The Artist Files: Bernini
Did you know that Gian Lorenzo Bernini, the artist who created such incredible works as….
Apollo & Daphne
The Rape of Proserpina
detail of The Rape of Proserpina
The Ecstasy of St Theresa
&
Costanza Buonarelli
… The same Bernini who was able to create a sense of narrative, fluidity, movement and soft flesh in hard stone. He who was the leading sculptor of his age, and who expressed such delicacy and sensitivity in his art. Bernini had a lackey cut up Constanza Buonarelli’s face with a razor after discovering she was not only his mistress, but she was also sleeping with his brother.
Oh, don’t worry, he attempted to kill the brother too. Twice.
Want to read more about Bernini’s life?
There are so many incredible stories in art history. Next up, Caravaggio!
Woah! Well i guess artists are a..um..passionate bunch!
I find this stuff so fascinating, but art books tend to not really talk about incidents like this, or even the personalities of artists. They want to keep the works ‘clean’, free of any personal shit. But art isn’t produced in a vacuum!