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OK, who doesn't love Bernini? If one visits Rome, one of the first things that comes to mind on the “to-do” list (besides drinking great wine and eating) is to see the art. And usually Gian Lorenzo Bernini's Apollo and Daphne , his David and all the fountains he is famous for are at the top of the list.
Italy is covered in Bernini sculptures. The great thing is for the first time, the Kimbell Museum has put it all together for us. This is the first-ever exhibition of its kind. They have created a fabulous framework for presenting Bernini's sculptures in clay by surrounding them with giant black-and-white photos of the final pieces in their environment.
As we go through each room, we can peer closely to the approximately 18-inch sculptures, noting every detail and the precision with which the master prepared for his final piece. It is completely intriguing to see the differences between the final piece and the “sketch in clay.” I say that tongue-in-cheek because the clay works are finely crafted and finished sculptures called modelli .
One can see up close that he completely changed his mind as to the drape of the robe on Saint Longinus and added higher cheekbones and more wrinkles to the head of St. Jerome. One can see the gouges the different tools made and even Bernini's fingerprints!
There is a video room where visitors investigate how the models were made. It shows how Anthony Sigel of the Harvard Art Museums examined each terracotta minutely for evidence of the steps involved in its making. Certain patterns emerged, and it is now possible to “read” the models, searching for those tool marks or modeling gestures that are distinctive of Bernini.
All very interesting, but I find the best part is getting up close to each sculpture. Seeing those tool marks and fingerprints, and most of all seeing up close what the sculpture detail looks like — feeling the emotion that is portrayed. The actual statues are so large and so far away, even if you are standing right under or in front of them, that you cannot study everything to appreciate it.
See the exhibit before it goes away — it is groundbreaking and inspiring.
Kimbell Art Museum • 3333 Camp Bowie Blvd. • South Galleries • Extended throught May 5!
To see the February article Bernini Brings Clay to Life CLICK HERE.
