Gian Lorenzo Bernini

The Profile

Gian Lorenzo Bernini (7 December 1598 – 28 November 1680) was an Italian sculptor and architect, the leading figure of the Baroque. Active mainly in Rome, he created major ecclesiastical and public works and worked on important papal commissions.

Born 1598 and died 1680; principal Baroque sculptor and architect; active in Rome; produced works for Pope Urban VIII and other prominent patrons.

Two DeBaser reviews praise Bernini's technical mastery and emotional intensity. One focuses on intimate detail and the illusion of movement in the Rape of Proserpina. The other discusses the Sepolcro di Urbano VIII as an archetype of the Baroque tomb and Bernini's role in papal commissions.