• Skip to main content
  • Skip to header right navigation
  • Skip to site footer
Wandering Carol's

Luxury Travel Blog

The Unpretentious Guide to Luxury Travel

  • Home
  • About Wandering Carol
  • Destinations
    • Asia Travel
    • Caribbean Travel
    • Europe Travel
      • Austria
      • Czech Republic
      • England
      • France
      • Germany
      • Hungary
      • Ireland Travel
      • Italy
      • Spain
      • Switzerland
      • Wales
    • North America Travel
      • Canada Travel
      • Mexico Travel
      • USA Travel
  • Spas and Wellness
  • Experiences
    • Hotel Reviews
    • Romantic Travel
    • Sacred Places
    • Adventure
    • Solo Travel
  • Contact
Bernini Triton Fountain in the Piazza Barberini in Rome

Where to Find the Best Bernini Sculpture and Fountains in Rome

Luxury travel blog » Places to Travel » Europe Travel » Italy » Where to Find the Best Bernini Sculpture and Fountains in Rome
February 22, 2019 by Carol Perehudoff

This post may contain affiliate links.

Gian Lorenzo Bernini was the most famous Italian sculptor of the 17th century. Here’s how to find the best Bernini sculpture in Rome, as well as the artist’s most notable fountains and architecture.

Bernini Triton Fountain in the Piazza Barberini in Rome
Triton Fountain in the Piazza Barberini

 

Searching for Bernini at the Borghese Gallery

The audio guide at the Borghese Museum in Rome is messing with my head. Anecdotes about Rubens are rattling into my ear while I’m looking at a painting by Caravaggio, and I’m starting to think I hadn’t learned anything in art history class at all. Then I realize I’m in the wrong room.

While the narrator talks on, I give up following along and simply enjoy the sensation of being enveloped by the marble sculptures, Baroque art and sumptuous interiors that make up the Borghese Gallery, the former villa of the art-mad Cardinal Scipione Borghese.

Mostly I’m keeping an eye out for Bernini sculptures, particularly Apollo and Daphne, a sculpture so delicate and alive it’s hard to believe it’s carved from marble, not from snow.

Bernini in Rome

Every time I’m in Rome I make a pilgrimage to the Borghese to see it. But on this trip, a visit to see Apollo and Daphne isn’t enough. One of the most unique things to do in Rome is to follow the entire trail of Bernini, the 17th-century master who changed the face of the city.

It’s a big job. From the Four Rivers Fountain in Piazza Navona to the monumental Baldacchino at the Vatican, Bernini’s work makes up some of Rome’s top attractions. Determined to track down as much of it as I can, I hatch a plan to find his best sculptures, most notable fountains and most impressive architecture – and dive into a few scandals along the way.

If you like art and travel, this post should you help you hatch a plan, too.

Who was Gian Lorenzo Bernini?

Gian Lorenzo Bernini was a gifted sculptor who created some of the best art in Rome. Together with the painter Caravaggio, he’s one of the poster boys of the Baroque, a period in art that embraced the dramatic, the lavish and – one might argue – the overdone.

The best sculpture in Rome, Apollo and Daphne by Bernini in the Borghese Gallery
Apollo and Daphne

 

A dark spot in Bernini’s career

I’ve just tracked down The Rape of Proserpina in the Emperor’s Room when the audio guide narrator says something that makes me stop. He’s talking about the one dark spot in Bernini’s career. Pope Innocent X had just ascended to power and he wasn’t as devoted to Bernini’s artwork as Pope Urban VII had been. Projects were going to Bernini’s despised rival, Francesco Borromini, instead.

And I’m like, what? What? The one dark spot?

The other dark spot in Bernini’s career

I look around for my husband so I can tug on his sleeve and register my indignation but he’s engrossed in Canova’s reclining sculpture of Paola Bonapart Borghese, which admittedly is quite risqué, and he’s more interested in listening to his headset than to me.

Fine. I’ll talk to myself. What about the other dark spot in Bernini’s career? What about the affair he had with Costanza Bonarelli, the wife of his assistant? Sensual, young and plumply pretty, Costanza was not only married but managed to fit in an affair with Bernini’s brother, Luigi, too.

When the besotted Bernini saw his brother leaving Costanza’s house, he was filled with such a rage that he chased Luigi through the streets with a crowbar (breaking two ribs) then went after him with a sword. After that he sent a servant over to slash Costanza’s face with a razor.

That’s not a dark spot in Bernini’s career? It’s a big black hole!

Did you know? If you’re spending a day in Florence you can find Bernini’s bust of Costanza in the National Museum of Bargello in Florence.

So while I can’t help being swept up by Bernini’s talent, and his sculpture of Apollo and Daphne takes my breath away, it’s a mistake to gloss over the past, even as we track down Bernini’s best sculptures – because the real past paints a more accurate picture and offers an eye-opening glimpse into the dark depths of Baroque Rome.

Where are the best Bernini sculptures and fountains in Rome?

Everywhere. Rome is a great big Bernini showplace, from the Piazza Navona to the Colonnade in St Peter’s Square. You could easily spend at least one day in Rome going from masterpiece to masterpiece – or more. In fact, you can keep going right up until your husband says, with a desperate look on his face, that he’d like to start looking at Caravaggio paintings instead.

Bernini at the Galleria Borghese

The Borghese Gallery, the Galleria Borghese, is located on Pincian Hill in the Villa Borghese Gardens, one of the largest green spaces in Rome. The landscaped park is within walking distance from the Spanish Steps or the Via Veneto, but get a ticket for the gallery beforehand because it’s one of the most popular museums in Rome.

Bernini sculptures in Rome, David in the Galleria Borghese
Bernini’s David … a self portrait?

 

The Bernini David at the Borghese Gallery

The Bernini David is one of three famous David sculptures. (The others are by Michelangelo and Donatello.) Bernini’s statue captures David as he’s about to hurl the stone at Goliath. His muscles are taut, his torso turned and his determined expression makes him seem more relatable than Michelangelo’s idealized meditative version.

It’s David as ‘every man’ and Bernini is said to have used his own image as a model. So now that you have an idea of what he looks like, let’s move on.

The Apollo and Daphne sculpture

If you’re only going to seek out one Bernini sculpture in Rome, seek out Apollo and Daphne. It’s located in – quite fittingly – the Apollo and Daphne Room at the Borghese.

It was sculpted between 1622 and 1625 when Bernini was still in his early 20s. Commissioned by Cardinal Scipione Borghese, one of Bernini’s top patrons, it was considered scandalous by some, but it propelled the young artist to fame.

The marble masterpiece captures a windswept moment of change. The lusty Apollo, who has been hit with Cupid’s arrow, has just caught the innocent nymph Daphne.

Terrified she calls out to her river god father to save her. He transforms her into a laurel tree. Her fingers are turning to leaves, her hair to branches and her feet to root tendrils. Her expression is desperate as Apollo grabs her waist. It’s an action-packed scene and I don’t stop circling it until my husband hauls me away.

Did you know? In the 18th century Bernini’s work was considered too dramatic, too ‘pretty’ and emotional, and he lost favour for the next 200 years.

 

The Rape of Persephone, a statue by Bernini. in the Borghese Gallery in Romejpg
The Rape of Proserpina

 

The Rape of Proserpina

Also known as Pluto and Persephone, the Rape of Proserpina is another early Bernini masterwork at the Borghese Gallery, carved when he was barely 23. Like the statue of Apollo and Daphne, it’s a nail-biting moment. Pluto, the God of the Underworld, has just kidnapped Persephone, who is twisting and struggling to escape the bearded burly god.

Her helplessness, along with Daphne’s, makes me think of Costanza, the woman who Bernini would fall so violently in love with nearly 20 years later. Not that Costanza was an unwilling participant – by all accounts it was a passionate pairing that steamed on for two years – but what was her expression when Bernini’s servant was slashing her face? Were these sculptures somehow prophetic of her struggle? Do they reveal a shard of violence that lay embedded in the Baroque master’s soul even then?

The fallout from Bernini’s affair with Costanza

This savage event could hardly go unnoticed, but the pope was unwilling to lose his golden goose of Baroque sculpture. Bernini got away with a rap on the wrist. He was ordered to settle down and marry. His intended, Caterina Tezio, was one of the most celebrated beauties in Rome. He was also ordered to pay a fine that was later forgiven by the pope.

Apparently Bernini never strayed again, attended mass daily for the next 40 years and went on to have 11 children. That’s all very fine but what about Costanza Bonarelli?

Costanza went to prison for adultery.

To be more exact, it was an institution for wayward women. She didn’t stay in long, and when she came out she resumed her marriage, became an art dealer of sorts and her husband continued to work as Bernini’s assistant. It’s an ending I don’t pretend to understand.

Tip: After you leave the Galleria Borghese, leave the park through the Porta Pinciana exit and walk down the Via Veneto to the Piazza Barberini, where you’ll find Bernini’s Triton Fountain.
Bernini sculpture in Rome of Four Rivers Fountain at night in Piazza Navona
Four Rivers

 

Bernini’s Four Rivers Fountain in the Piazza Navona

The tangled affair is a soap opera in stone, and the ghosts of Costanza, Persephone and Daphne seem to hover in the shadows as Mark and I stroll that evening to the Piazza Navona. Bernini’s Four Rivers Fountain, the Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi, is the luminous star of the piazza. It’s Bernini’s most famous fountain, although a number of other sculptors worked on it, too, and was completed in 1651.

Bernini only got the commission by some tricky maneuvering – by putting a model of it in front of Pope Innocent X’s nose without being invited to submit, but it was so overwhelming the pope couldn’t turn it down.

Four muscular river gods, their feet dangling down towards the water, surround an obelisk recovered from the Appian Way. The gods represent the four great rivers of the world: the Danube, the Ganges, the Rio del Plato and the Nile. These in turn represent the four continents of the world: Europe, Asia, America and Africa. (Australia hadn’t been discovered yet, and don’t ask me about Antarctica – it’s Bernini’s masterpiece, not mine.)

That all represents the power of Christianity, with the water signifying God’s wisdom that washes over everything.

The rumoured scandal of the Four Rivers Fountain and why it’s probably not true

The Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi faces the Sant’Agnesi in Agoni church, another well-known Rome attraction on Piazza Navona. Bernini lost out on the commission to design the church to his arch rival, Borromini.

It’s said Bernini expressed his disdain for Borromini’s project through his gods. The figure of the Nile hides his face from the sight of the church while the Rio del Plata god has his hands raised, as if to protect himself when Borromini’s church falls down.

It’s a suspect tale, however, as the fountain was completed before the church – but it does add a bit of dramatic tension to a visit.

Bernini sculpture in Rome of Ecstasy of St Theresa in the church of Santa Maria della Vittoria
Spiritual ecstasy

 

The curious case of the Ecstasy of Saint Teresa in the Santa Maria della Vittoria

Of all the Bernini sculptures in Rome, the Ecstasy of Saint Teresa is the most provocative, yet it’s considered one of the best. Bernini himself was proud of it, calling it “the least bad thing I have ever done.”

The church isn’t far from the Rome Termini Train Station so it’s easy to get to the next day from our hotel on the Via Veneto.  Mark puts a coin in the box to light up the chapel and a climactic vision appears.

Saint Teresa, a Spanish mystic, reclines, a rapturous expression on her face. A male angel stands over her. Gently he lifts her drapery, poised to pierce her heart with a golden spear.

The repeated thrust with the spear has produced a spiritual ecstasy in the saint. Her arms fall to her sides, her drapery billows out in waves and golden rays shoot down from the sky. It’s, well, orgasmic. I don’t know how else to say it, and many art historians don’t either.

But maybe that’s too easy. Let’s call it spiritual sensuality and leave it at that. Or let’s look at how Saint Teresa herself describes it.

I saw a great golden spear, and at the iron tip there appeared to be a point of fire. This he plunged into my heart several times so that it penetrated to my entrails … The pain was so severe that it made me utter several moans. The sweetness caused by this intense pain is so extreme that one cannot possibly wish it to cease … — Saint Teresa

 

Bridge of Angels with angel sculptures in Rome designed by Bernini
Bridge of Angels

 

The Ponte Sant’Angelo

On our final morning, Mark and I find ourselves alone on the Ponte Sant’Angelo, the Bridge of Angels. In the pale early light the Tiber is a milky jade, the sky a washed-out blue, and a row of marble angels line our path.

I can almost hear the footsteps of the medieval pilgrims as they trudge over the bridge on the way to St Peter’s Basilica, this being the main passage to the Vatican.

The bridge dates back to 138 AD and was built by the Emperor Hadrian, long before the Baroque. In 1688 Pope Clement VII commissioned Bernini to add the angels (only two of which Bernini carved himself).

It was Bernini in Rome at his best. In fact, the pope declared the statues too exquisite to be batted about by the elements so he had copies made and the originals were moved to the church of Sant’Andrea delle Fratte, just off  the Via Veneto, where they still are today.

Tip: If you’re visiting the Vatican first, after you leave St Peter’s Square walk down the Via del Conciliazioni towards the Castel Sant’Angelo to find the Bridge of Angels.
Bernini Colonnade in St Peter's Square at the Vatican in Rome
The Vatican

 

Bernini at the Vatican

From the Ponte Sant’Angelo it’s an easy walk to St. Peter’s Square, which Bernini designed for Pope Alexander VII. The artist, a gifted architect as well as sculptor, created the two sweeping colonnades that represent the welcoming embrace of Christianity.

On the balustrade at the top of the columns are 140 statues of saints crafted by his workshop, while in the centre of the square is an Egyptian obelisk brought to Rome by Caligula in 37 AD.

Bernini’s Baldacchino in St Peter’s Basilica

Inside the basilica you can hardly miss Bernini’s Baldacchino. Towering over the altar, which stands directly over St Peter’s tomb, Bernini’s Baldachin is a 29-metre bronze canopy complete with spiralling columns, gleaming angels and a golden cross at the top.

It took 11 years to make and the enormous amount of bronze needed for the project was pilfered from the Pantheon.

St Peter's Baldacchino by Bernini in the Vatican in Rome
St Peter’s Baldacchino

 

The Tomb of Pope Alexander II

The Tomb of Alexander II in the south transept of St. Peter’s was Bernini’s final design, completed when the artist was 81. The pontiff, carved from white marble, kneels in prayer. Below him, a bronze skeleton with insect-like wings emerges from a cloud of red Jasper drapery, an unsettling reminder of our own mortality. Seeking warm flesh, I grasp my husband’s hand.

Surrounding the skeleton are four frothy figures representing Charity, Truth, Prudence and Judgement.

As Bernini worked on the tomb alongside his assistants, was he thinking about his own life and the roles Charity, Truth, Prudence and Judgement had played in his choices? And, I wonder, as we’re marvelling over his sculptures today, do we think of the man’s genius or do we think of Costanza? Can you separate the art from the man?

However you choose to view Gian Lorenzo Bernini, there’s no denying he helped shape our image of Rome, as if it were all one big marvellous sculpture to create.

 

 

More Bernini sculptures in Rome

If, after all that, you’re still asking ‘where can I find Bernini sculptures?’ rest assured, there are other top Rome attractions you can visit to see his work.

At the Capitoline Museum you can see his eerie Bust of Medusa, or find his whimsical Elephant and Obelisk sculpture in the Piazza della Minerva.

At the Doria Pamphilj, the bust of Pope Innocent X is one of my favourite Bernini sculptures in Rome. His busts are known for their ‘Speaking Likeness’ – realistic portraits that look as if the subject was just taking a breath or about to speak.

Pin me!

If you're looking for Rome attractions, check out the Bernini sculpture in the Piazza Navona, along with many other of this famous Italian artist's attractions. You'll find his work in the Borghese Gallery, including his famous Apollo and Daphne, the Colonnade in the Vatican and more.

 

The Spanish Steps

Finally, at the bottom of the Spanish Steps you can see the Fountain of the Leaky Boat, the Fontana della Baraccia. It was made by a very young Bernini and his artist father, Pietro Bernini. It’s not my top choice as far as Rome attractions go, but you’ll probably be at the Spanish Steps anyway.

And if you’ve made it this far, congratulations: You’ve seen the best of Bernini in Rome.

Spanish Steps in Rome
Spot the Fountain of the Leaky Boat in the bottom right

 

Read more: Looking for more unique ways to sightsee through the Eternal City? Read unusual things to do in Rome. Or read Cities in Italy and How to Fight with Your Husband in All of Them.

Category: Art, ItalyTag: Rome

About Carol Perehudoff

A former freelance travel columnist for the Toronto Star, Carol has won more than 30 writing awards and honours. A spa and luxury travel expert, she’s written for top travel publications around the globe.

Previous Post:Travel and writing, why they go hand in handTravel literature | Why travel and writing are lovers
Next Post:Rome Via Veneto, hotels, history and la dolce vitaHarry's Bar Via Veneto Rome

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Carol Perehudoff

    Hi Ant, That is exactly how I feel about Bernini after seeing his sculptures in Rome. He was magic with marble, as if it was soft as silk in his hands.

  2. Ant

    Great Article. I spent 5 days following Bernini around Rome, absolutely incredible. The followed to London and Paris, however unable to see his work in Paris as they were on Strike at the Louvre. This man was an absolute genius, only Bernini can make Marble as delicate as a pillow.

  3. stellalucentellc

    Wonderful article. I love touring Italian cities based on the artwork found there. It really gives one insight not only into the art but into the city itself where the art was made.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Sidebar

luxury travel blogger wandering carol on train

About Wandering Carol

In my 10+ years as a travel writer and columnist I've seen the best of what the world has to offer and written for some top publications around the globe - and now my goal is to bring this expertise to you. For more blah blah blah, visit my
About page.

Book Your Next Adventure

Booking.com

Connect with me online

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter
Carol Perehudoff published in top media, logos for newspapers and magazines

How to Use This Site

  • Use the SEARCH BOX if you’re looking for something specific.
  • Click on the ‘DESTINATIONS’ tab on the top menu to see the countries we write about.
  • SUBSCRIBE to keep up with the latest articles and get tips to make your next journey inspiring.

Caribbean Travel

golden sand beach in Saint Lucia

14 Fun Things to Do in St Lucia

golden sunset in the caribbean

5 Ways to Budget and Plan a Luxury Caribbean Vacation

Paradisus Palma Real Beach, Dominican Republic

Paradisus Punta Cana and Paradisus Palma Real, tale of two paradises

Beautiful beach, affordable luxury Caribbean

Affordable luxury Caribbean – vacation tips and tricks

Welcome to this luxury travel magazine

Click around to find some top destinations and fab adventures - and put a spark in your life through travel.
Carol Perehudoff on the media, logos
Restored chapel in The Jaffa that shows why this is one of the best hotels in Tel Aviv

Hot Hotel Alert – The Jaffa in Tel Aviv

The Jaffa Hotel Review Once you leave The Jaffa, a ‘hip-meets-history’ luxury hotel in Yafo Tel Aviv, it’s all downhill. At least it was for me when I cycled down to the seafront promenade from the hotel’s perch above the Old Port of Jaffa. The bike, being from The Jaffa, was no ordinary battered rental …

Inspiration

“Who says you can’t run away?”

Share

  • https://www.facebook.com/pages/WanderingCarolcom-A-Luxury-Travel-Blog-for-those-who-Love-to-Laugh/1503397106575455
  • https://instagram.com/wanderingcarol/
  • http://pinterest.com/wanderingcarol
  • https://wanderingcarol.com/feed
  • http://twitter.com/WanderingCarol

Copyright © 2023 · Wandering Carol’s Seeking Elsewhere Magazine · All Rights Reserved · Disclosure and Privacy Policy

330 shares