Alessandro AlgardiItalian, 1595–1654Pope Liberius Baptizing the Neophytes
Can I see it?
Yes, on view now
Where is “Pope Liberius Baptizing the Neophytes” now? Minneapolis Institute of Art, G313, Minneapolis. Yes, on view now. Checked September 29, 2026.
Minneapolis, United States
Closed· opens tomorrow at 11:00 AM
On public display.
- Checked
- In this state since
- Source
- The museum
About the sculpture
This terra-cotta relief is the only known study in clay for a sculpture decorating the marble fountain of Saint Damasus in the Vatican. The fountain was erected in the 17th century by Pope Innocent X to mark his restoration of aqueducts built for Pope Damasus in the 4th century. The relief shows Damasus’ predecessor, Liberius, baptizing new converts to Christianity. Damasus stands behind him, lifting his mantle.
The easily worked medium of clay allowed Algardi to experiment and refine his ideas before carving the relief in marble. By sculpting the foreground figures almost fully in the round and those more distant in ever shallower relief, he achieved an illusion of depth and volume. Over time, weather and abrasive cleaning have taken a toll on the marble version, but the clay model remains evidence of the artist’s intent.
Minneapolis Institute of Art
Details
- Accession number
- 59.17
In the catalog
Sources
- Minneapolis Institute of Art
- Image: Minneapolis Institute of Art — public domain
In the life of Alessandro Algardi
The whole life1625–1654 · Workplace
Rome
1650
Meets Velázquez; commissions from Spain
He meets Diego Velázquez, who obtains commissions for his work from Spain: four chimney-pieces and the figures of the fountain of Neptune in the gardens of the Royal Palace of Aranjuez, and the tomb of the Count and Countess de Monterey in the Augustinian monastery at Salamanca.
in later years
A large studio, a fortune and pupils
In his later years he controls a large studio and amasses a great fortune. His classicizing manner is carried on by pupils such as Ercole Ferrata and Domenico Guidi, and Antonio Raggi initially trained with him (other accounts say all three then moved to Bernini); lesser-known assistants in his studio include Francesco Barrata, Girolamo Lucenti and Giuseppe Peroni.
