From the artist's life
In his Ecstasy of Saint Teresa, Bernini carved marble so masterfully that the saint's flowing robes and swooning body seem made of soft flesh and cloth.
Source: Wikipedia / WikimediaBaroque
Gian Lorenzo Bernini
Gian Lorenzo Bernini (1598–1680) was the genius of the Italian Baroque, a sculptor, architect and showman who shaped the look of Rome. He made cold marble seem to breathe, weep and tremble with life.
Bernini defined Baroque sculpture and architecture; his St Peter's Square still gathers the world before the Vatican.
- Made marble appear to move, breathe and feel with astonishing realism.
- Designed the colonnade of St Peter's Square and much of Baroque Rome.
- Carved the Ecstasy of Saint Teresa and Apollo and Daphne.
Key works
Where to start
Complete list of key works
Works with a dedicated ArtAtlas page are highlighted in gold.
- Apollo and DaphneOn ArtAtlas
- Ecstasy of Saint TeresaOn ArtAtlas
- Saint Peter's SquareListed for reference
- Four Rivers FountainListed for reference
- Palazzo BarberiniListed for reference
- Sant'Andrea al QuirinaleListed for reference
- Truth unveiled by TimeListed for reference
- Bust of Costanza BonarelliListed for reference
- Portrait of Louis XIV of FranceListed for reference
- Neptune and DolphinListed for reference
- Bust of Pope Gregory XVListed for reference
1622
Apollo and Daphne
Bernini carved the entire group from a single block of Carrara marble — the bark, leaves, and fingers all emerging from one continuous piece — which still stuns structural engineers today.
1647
Ecstasy of Saint Teresa
The Ecstasy of Saint Teresa is a sculptural altarpiece group in white marble set in an elevated aedicule in the Cornaro Chapel of the church of Santa Maria della Vittoria in Rome. It was designed and carved by Gian Lorenzo Bernini, the leading sculptor of his day, who also designed the setting of the chapel in marble, stucco and paint.