BERNINI: A LESSER KNOWN RENAISSANCE ARTIST

By
Sayantan Biswas
UG3, 5th Semester
Roll No:33

The period in European history that ranges between the 14th and the 17th century is named Renaissance. It is regarded by many as the cultural bridge between the Middle Ages and Modern History. Starting as a cultural movement in Italy in the Medieval Period, it spread to the rest of Europe and it began the inception of the Modern age. Renaissance ushered in the light of knowledge after a long spell of darkness of the Middle Ages prevailing in Europe.

It started its own version of humanism and it was the intellectual base of the age. It was derived from the concept of Roman Humanities and the rediscovery of classical Greek Philosophy. This new intellect spread its influence in fields like art, architecture, politics, science and literature. Some of the results of this new thinking was the development of perspective in art and sculpture, also the recycled knowledge to how to make concrete.

Although, at first instance we are reminded of the various paintings, sculptures, and poetry when we talk about Renaissance, the architectural brilliance of the age never seizes to amaze our senses. A piece of outstanding architecture appeals appreciation because it is the perfect blend of scientific technology and artistic aesthetics. Some of the outstanding architectural magnificence still enthralls us which were built during the Renaissance and very much bear the intellectual influence of the age. Tempietto di San Pietro in Montorio, Rome by Bramant, Temple of Vesta, Rome, Florence of Cathedral, St’ Peter’s Basilica are some of the finest examples.

St’ Andrews Church by Bernini stands apart as a unique architectural site that still today awestruck the people who witness it. The church of San’t Andrea is one of the most important instances of the Baroque architectural style. It was designed by Lorenzo Bernini with Giovanni de’ Rossi.

Bernini was commissioned for the construction of the church in 1658. The project was completely executed by 1661. The interior decoration however was finished by 1670. The St’ Andrews Church was built at the site that already accommodated a 16th century church, San’t Andrea Montecavallo. St, Andrea was commissioned by the prior Cardinal Camellio Francesco Maria Pamphili. It was approved by the Pope Alexander VII. San’t Andrea was constructed after the church of Gesù and San’t Iganzio making it the third Jesuit Church of Rome. The church was meant for the service of Jesuit Novatiate. It was founded in 1656. According to Bernini himself, the church was one of his finest works. Bernini’s son, Domenico remembers that in his old age, Bernini would spend hours in the church and appreciate what he had achieved. The church served as the titular church of Brozilian Odilo Scherer since 2007.

The main side (front) of the church looks towards the Viadel Quirinale (previously known as the Via Pia). San’t Andrea is set back from the street and the space outside the church is enclosed by low curved quadrant walls. An oval cylinder excesses the dome, and large volutes transfer the lateral thrust. The actual side to the street has an acicular pedimented frame at the centre of which a semicircular porch with two ionic column marks the main entrance. Above the porch entablature is the heraldic coat of the Panphili Patron

Façade of Sant’Andrea al Quirinale, bearing crest of

Cardinal Camillo Francesco Maria Pamphili

Inside the main threshold is located on the small axis of the church and is in front of the higher altar. The oval form of the main congregational space of the church is marked by a wall, pilasters and entablature. It guards the side chapels and the golden dome which is located on top. Huge paired columns balancing a curved pediment differentiate the secluded space of the high altar from the congregational space.

The golden dome

The high altar niche is lit well from a secluded source. It then becomes the central focus of vision of the posterior part of the interior. The result being the congregation aptly becomes visible to the theatrical narrative of San’t Andrew. It starts in the Higher Altar chapel and results in to the dome. Above the high altar is a beautiful oil painting of the Martyrdom of Saint Andrew (1668) by the painter from France namely Guillaume Caurtois. It is an illustration which depicts Andrew tied to the diagonals of the form of the cross, he was crucified on.

“The martyrdom oh Saint Andrew” by Guillaume Caurtois

Andrew emerges for a second time and it seems as if he were breaking through the arched pediment of the aedicule frame to the high altar. This time around he is shown by a white marble sculpture; it was created by Antonio Raggi. He is depicted on a cloud symbolizing a godly appearance with his outstretched arms and upward gaze; he proves that he is on his way to heaven as illustrated by the dome of gold. The stucco cherubim heads clustered around the opening of the lantern, the lantern vault along with the Dove of the Holy Ghost. The dramatic visual narrative is not only sustained upwards via the space of the church but it also appoints various artistic modes. Bernini combined painting, sculpture and architecture into a synthesis to produce visually the impression concrete enough of the apotheosis of St Andrew in the theatre of spirits. This synthesis is also referred to as the ‘unity of visual arts’.

“Saint Andrew ascending to the sky” by Antonio Raggi

The first chapel to one’s right is the Chapel of St Francis Xavier. It holds three canvases by Baciceio. It illustrates the baptism, preaching and death of St’ Francis Xavier’s. In the ceiling, The Glory of San’t Francis Xavier’s has been created by Filippo Bracci. The chapel of the Flagellation has three canvases. It shows sights from the Passion of Jesus Christ by Giacinto Brandi, a Deposition, Flagellation and a Road to Cavalry (1682). To the left of the main altar the chapel belonging to Saint Stanislaus Kostka holds the shrines of the Saint, a bronze urn and lapiz lazuli made in 1716. The painting over the funerary monument Madonna with the child and Saint Stanislaus Kostka is made by Carlo Moratta (1687). The ceiling fresco of Glory of the Saints was created by Giovanni Odazzi. The last chapel dedicated to Saint Ignatius of Loyola houses the paintings of Madonna and child and Saints and Adoration of the Kings and Shepherds created by Ludovico Mazzanti with a ceiling with Glory of the Angelms by Guiseppe Chiriai.

Between the chapel of St Stanislaus Kostka and the main altar is another chapel with a large crucifix. It accommodates the tomb of King Charles Emmanuel IV of Sandinia and Picdmont who vacated in 1815 to enter the society of Jesus and lived in the Jesuit Novatiate, adjacent to the church until his death in 1819.

Gian Lorenzo Bernini , self portrait 1623

Bernini stands out as an unique character of Renaissance. Gian Lorenzo Bernini (7 December 1598 – 28 November 1680) was an Italian sculptor and architect. While a major figure in the world of architecture, he was the leading sculptor of his age, credited with creating the Baroque style of sculpture.

Bernini’s architectural works include sacred and secular buildings and sometimes their urban settings and interiors. He made adjustments to existing buildings and designed new constructions. Amongst his most well known works are thePiazza San Pietro (1656–67), the piazza and colonnades in front of St. Peter’s Basilica and the interior decoration of the Basilica. Amongst his secular works are a number of Roman palaces: following the death of Carlo Maderno, he took over the supervision of the building works at the Palazzo Barberini from 1630 on which he worked with Borromini; the Palazzo Ludovisi (now Palazzo Montecitorio, started 1650); and the Palazzo Chigi (now Palazzo Chigi-Odescalchi, started 1664).

His first architectural projects were the façade and refurbishment of the church of Santa Bibiana (1624–26) and the St. Peter’s baldachin (1624–33), the bronze columned canopy over the high altar of St. Peter’s Basilica. In 1629, and before St. Peter’s Baldachin was complete, Urban VIII put him in charge of all the ongoing architectural works at St Peter’s. However, Bernini fell out of favor during the papacy of Innocent X Pamphili: one reason was the pope’s animosity towards the Barberini and hence towards their clients including Bernini. Another reason was the failure of the belltowers designed and built by Bernini for St. Peter’s Basilica, commencing during the reign of Urban VIII. The completed north tower and the only partially completed south tower were ordered demolished by Innocent in 1646 because their excessive weight had caused cracks in the basilica’s facade and threatened to do more calamitous damage. Professional opinion at the time was in fact divided over the true gravity of the situation (with Bernini’s rival Borromini spreading an extreme, anti-Bernini catastrophic view of the problem) and over the question of responsibility for the damage: Who was to blame? Bernini? Pope Urban VIII who forced Bernini to design over-elaborate towers? Deceased Architect of St. Peter’s, Carlo Maderno who built the weak foundations for the towers? Official papal investigations in 1680 in fact completely exonerated Bernini, while inculpating Maderno. Never wholly without patronage during the Pamphil years, after Innocent’s death in 1655 Bernini regained a major role in the decoration of St. Peter’s with the Pope Alexander VII Chigi, leading to his design of the piazza and colonnade in front of St. Peter’s. Further significant works by Bernini at the Vatican include the Scala Regia (1663–66), the monumental grand stairway entrance to the Vatican Palace, and the Cathedra Petri, the Chair of Saint Peter, in the apse of St. Peter’s, in addition to the Chapel of the Blessed Sacrament in the nave.

Bernini possessed the ability to depict dramatic narratives with characters showing intense psychological states, but also to organize large-scale sculptural works that convey a magnificent grandeur. During his long career, Bernini received numerous important commissions, many of which were associated with the papacy. At an early age, he came to the attention of the papal nephew, Cardinal Scipione Borghese, and in 1621, at the age of only twenty-three, he was knighted by Pope Gregory XV.

Bernini did not build many churches from scratch; rather, his efforts were concentrated on pre-existing structures, such as the restored church of Santa Bibbiana and in particular St. Peter’s. He fulfilled three commissions for new churches in Rome and nearby small towns. Best known is the small but richly ornamented oval church of Sant’Andrea al Quirinale, done (beginning in 1658) for the Jesuit novitiate, representing one of the rare works of his hand with which Bernini’s son, Domenico, reports that his father was truly and very pleased. Bernini also designed churches in Castelgandolfo (San Tommaso da Villanova, 1658–61) and Ariccia (Santa Maria Assunta, 1662–64).

When Bernini was invited to Paris in 1665 to prepare works for Louis XIV, he presented designs for the east facade of the Louvre Palace, but his projects were ultimately turned down in favour of the more sober and classic proposals of the French doctor and amateur architect Claude Perrault, signaling the waning influence of Italian artistic hegemony in France. Bernini’s projects were essentially rooted in the Italian Baroque urbanist tradition of relating public buildings to their settings, often leading to innovative architectural expression in urban spaces like piazze or squares. However, by this time, the French absolutist monarchy now preferred the classicising monumental severity of Perrault’s facade, no doubt with the added political bonus that it had been designed by a Frenchman. The final version did, however, include Bernini’s feature of a flat roof behind a Palladian balustrade.

Bernini remained physically and mentally vigorous and active in his profession until just two weeks before his death that came as a result of a stroke. In his last two years, he carved (supposedly for Queen Christina) the bust of the Savior and supervised the restoration of the Palazzo della Cancelleria as per papal commission. He died in Rome on 28 November 1680 and was buried, with little public fanfare, in the simple, unadorned Bernini family vault, along with his parents, in the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore. Though an elaborate funerary monument had once been planned (documented by a single extant sketch of circa 1670), it was never built and Bernini remained with no permanent public acknowledgement of his life and career in Rome until 1898 when a simple plaque and small bust was affixed to the face of his home on the Via della Mercede, proclaiming “Here lived and died Gian lorenzo Bernini, a sovereign of art, before whom reverently bowed popes, princes, and a multitude of peoples.” 1

We thus understand the importance of Gian lorenzo Bernini and his contribution towards Renaissance art, sculpture and architecture. Although his death and burial doesn’t compliment his immense contribution towards the age, he shall remain one of the most influential and important figures of the Renaissance art.

 

 

CITATION

1 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gian_Lorenzo_Bernini

2 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Church_of_Saint_Andrew%27s_at_the_Quirinal

3 http://www.visual-arts-cork.com/sculpture/bernini-giovanni.htm