DOI chapter:
Painters, Sculptors, Architects, Engravers, and their Works
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.61295#0127
BERNINI.
105
was produced. Some of his most
it
APOLLO AND DAPHNE. BY BERNINI.
In the Villa Borghese, Rome.
For this purpose the king sent
400,000 Roman crowns. He had versatility of talent, remarkable
imagination and perceptive power, and marvellous facility of execu-
tion. It has been said that marble was like clay, or wax, beneath
his hand. He believed and constantly said that one must be above
rules in order to excel. There is a fascination in the sound of this
maxim, but Bernini’s own works prove that its practical application
is hurtful, and his extraordinary. executive ability often failed to
atone for the bad taste in which he treated his subjects. In short,
his desire for picturesque and unusual effect made him an injury
rather than a benefit to the art he practised. Westmacott says it
would have been better for sculpture had Bernini never lived.
His “ Apollo and Daphne. ” was executed when he was but eighteen
years old ; yet he himself declared, near the close of his life, that he
had made little progress since
important works were exe-
cuted in the time of Urban
VIII., among which are
the great altar of S. Peter’s,
in bronze and gilt, beneath
the centre of the dome ; the
pulpit and canopy of S.
Peter’s ; colossal statues of
the Four Doctors of the
Church supporting the chair
of S. Peter; the Campanile;
the circular piazza before
the Basilica, and the Pal.
Barberini. The beautiful
colonnade of S. Peter’s was
executed according to his
plans, and under his direc-
tion. He also built the
Chapel of S. Teresa, in the
ch. of Santa Maria della
Vittoria; the ch. and high
altar of S. Bibiano; a large
part of the ch. of S. Anas-
tasia; the celebrated Chigi
Pal.; the Collegio Urbano
di Propaganda Fide, besides
portions of other churches
and palaces. For Charles
I. of England he executed a statue.
him three portraits by Vandyck, and the likeness was so satisfactory
that, in addition to the 6,000 crowns paid for the statue, Charles sent
him a ring worth as much more. The colossal equestrian statue of
105
was produced. Some of his most
it
APOLLO AND DAPHNE. BY BERNINI.
In the Villa Borghese, Rome.
For this purpose the king sent
400,000 Roman crowns. He had versatility of talent, remarkable
imagination and perceptive power, and marvellous facility of execu-
tion. It has been said that marble was like clay, or wax, beneath
his hand. He believed and constantly said that one must be above
rules in order to excel. There is a fascination in the sound of this
maxim, but Bernini’s own works prove that its practical application
is hurtful, and his extraordinary. executive ability often failed to
atone for the bad taste in which he treated his subjects. In short,
his desire for picturesque and unusual effect made him an injury
rather than a benefit to the art he practised. Westmacott says it
would have been better for sculpture had Bernini never lived.
His “ Apollo and Daphne. ” was executed when he was but eighteen
years old ; yet he himself declared, near the close of his life, that he
had made little progress since
important works were exe-
cuted in the time of Urban
VIII., among which are
the great altar of S. Peter’s,
in bronze and gilt, beneath
the centre of the dome ; the
pulpit and canopy of S.
Peter’s ; colossal statues of
the Four Doctors of the
Church supporting the chair
of S. Peter; the Campanile;
the circular piazza before
the Basilica, and the Pal.
Barberini. The beautiful
colonnade of S. Peter’s was
executed according to his
plans, and under his direc-
tion. He also built the
Chapel of S. Teresa, in the
ch. of Santa Maria della
Vittoria; the ch. and high
altar of S. Bibiano; a large
part of the ch. of S. Anas-
tasia; the celebrated Chigi
Pal.; the Collegio Urbano
di Propaganda Fide, besides
portions of other churches
and palaces. For Charles
I. of England he executed a statue.
him three portraits by Vandyck, and the likeness was so satisfactory
that, in addition to the 6,000 crowns paid for the statue, Charles sent
him a ring worth as much more. The colossal equestrian statue of