Rome is one of my most favorite places to travel. There is so many things to see, so much history to take in, that more than one trip is necessary in order to see everything you wish to see. Gian Lorenzo Bernini was a famous Italian artist and sculpture, and his stunning sculptures and fountains can bee seen all over Rome. The last time I was there, I planned a walk through Rome that would take me to some of his most famous works.
I started at the Santa Maria della Vittoria, which is the Church of Our Lady of Victory. Inside, it houses one of Bernini’s most gorgeous works: the Ecstasy of St. Teresa. In this sculpture, it depicts St. Teresa with her head thrown back in the ecstasy, and a young cherub-like angel with a golden arrow aimed straight for the saint’s heart. The arrow is symbolic of God’s love, and is what is causing St. Teresa’s ecstasy. Both the woman and angel are on a bed of clouds, which were made hollow as to not add extra weight to the already hefty masterpiece. The sun shines down on the pair from above, and on the floor below them, Death is portrayed. I stood in awe of the piece for what seemed like forever.
I continued my walk down Via Barberini to the Piazza Barberini to visit the next Bernini piece on my list, which was the Fontana del Tritone, or the Trition Fountain. In the middle of the white marble basin is a group of four fish that are holding up a large oyster shell with their tailfins. Sitting atop the shell is Triton, a merman that is the mythological god of the sea, and he is blowing on a conch shell. The sculpture itself is made out of travertine, which is a form of limestone that is a common building material in Italy.
Next, I walked down Via delle Quattro Fontane, and passed the Palazzo Barberini, which was a beautiful palace that was once lived in by Barberini. I eventually came upon the Piazza Navona to the last Bernini work on my list, which was the Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi, or the Fountain of the Four Rivers. Each of the four figures represents a river: The Ganges River, The Danube, The Nile, and the Rio de la Plata. The four figures are featured upon a rock, with a horse in the water underneath. The Nile River’s source was unknown at the time the sculpture was created, so the head of the figure representing the river was covered with a scarf. Behind the stunning piece is a very tall obelisk, that was brought into Rome by the Emperor Caracalla. The obelisk had been buried for quite some time at Capo di Bove, awaiting to be used to adorn a brilliant fountain. The obelisk had been saved for just the right fountain, because the Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi is a brilliant piece, indeed.
Other blog posts that may interest you:
The Eternal City of Rome
Choosing an Italy Tour
River-god Ganges in Fountain of the four Rivers. Rome, Italy. (by Bernini)
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