Vatican Museums

In this volume, Giovanni Morello retraces the life and work of Giovan Lorenzo Bernini, an ingenious artist of Baroque culture, with multifaceted and visionary talent, author of immortal masterpieces. Sculptor, painter, architect and scenographer, he cultivated and expressed his talent from childhood, using it over the years to serve the Popes and the city of Rome.

This book traces all the phases of his extraordinary career: the first steps in his father’s workshop, the studies, his privileged relationship with popes, cardinals and nobles, from whose commissions he translated into wonderful works: the monumental fountains of Rome, the Baldachin and the Chair of St. Peter’s Basilica and the colonnade of the homonymous square, the amazing sculptures narrating classical myths. Morello recounts the genesis and the complexity of their realization, which often took years of work, but also describes style and distinctive characteristics. And then, over rivalries, sensational triumphs and misfortune, the author also tells lesser-known anecdotes that complete the picture of a career lasting over half a century in the 17^th century, which crowned him “Master of the World”. In addition to an elegant set of photos, the volume includes three detailed indexes about archival sources, cited works and names.