Gian Lorenzo BerniniItalian, 1598–1680Fountain Figures
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Not receiving at present
Chicago, United States
It belongs to the collection, but is not on display at present.
- Checked
- In this state since
- Source
- The museum
Particulars
- Accession number
- 1922.997
In the catalog
Sources
- Art Institute of Chicago
- Image: Art Institute of Chicago — CC0
Meanwhile, in the life of Gian Lorenzo Bernini
The whole life7 December 1598
Born
1623
Urban VIII becomes pope: the Barberini years
Bernini's old friend and former tutor Cardinal Maffeo Barberini became Pope Urban VIII and, until his death in 1644, gave the artist near-monopolistic patronage; Bernini was made curator of the papal art collection, director of the papal foundry at Castel Sant'Angelo and commissioner of the fountains of Piazza Navona.
1629
Appointed Architect of St Peter's
On the death of Carlo Maderno, Bernini, with virtually no architectural training, was appointed Architect of St Peter's, to the great protest of older, experienced masters; from then on his work stood at the symbolic heart of Rome.
1644
Urban VIII dies; disgrace under Innocent X
With the accession of Innocent X of the Barberini-hostile Pamphilj family, Bernini's career suffered an unprecedented four-year eclipse, partly because of the bell-tower affair; the pope nonetheless kept him in all his official roles, including Architect of St Peter's, and let him continue Urban VIII's tomb.
February 1646
The bell towers of St Peter's are demolished
Bernini's opponents, above all Borromini, persuaded Innocent X to order both towers demolished, to Bernini's great humiliation and a substantial fine. Investigations showed that the cracks came from Maderno's defective foundations rather than from Bernini's design.
28 November 1680
Died
