Bernardino Ludovisi
Encyclopedia
Bernardino Ludovisi also called Bernardo, was an Italian
sculptor
.
were an ancient Italian family, originally from Bologna
. Bernardino seems to have spent most, if not all, of his career in Rome
. He is an example of a working sculptor of his time, proficient in his craft but largely forgotten today.
Ludovisi participated in several prominent sculptural projects of his day, such as the Trevi Fountain
, the ongoing sculptural works of St Peter’s, and the façade of St John Lateran
. He was one of six Italian sculptors allotted subsidiary tasks to the French masters Pierre Le Gros
and Jean-Baptiste Théodon
working on the Chapel of St Ignatius
in Il Gesù
. He was also one of the sculptors commissioned by King João V of Portugal to supply sculpture to his palatial complex at Mafra
. Towards the end of his life he was employed by the Colonna family
, prominent patrons of the arts, for whom he completed the funerary monuments of Filippo II Colonna
and Maria Rospigliosi Salviati (the latter commissioned by her relative, Caterina Salviati Colonna), as well as a portrait bust of Pope Benedict XIV
(a gift from Monsignor
—later Cardinal
—Marcantonio Colonna to the Pontiff).
Ludovisi began in the vein of Baroque
classicism, but as he matured he began to lean toward the French
style of Le Gros and the Rococo
, exemplifying a later, gentler variation of Italian Baroque which Enggass named barocchetto. His work is characterised by an attention to detail, an effective use of colour, and a painterly manner in his reliefs.
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
sculptor
Sculpture
Sculpture is three-dimensional artwork created by shaping or combining hard materials—typically stone such as marble—or metal, glass, or wood. Softer materials can also be used, such as clay, textiles, plastics, polymers and softer metals...
.
Life and work
Little is known of his life. The LudovisiLudovisi (family)
The Ludovisi were a noble Italian family, originating from Bologna.Famous members of the family were - among others - Cardinal Alessandro Ludovisi, who became Pope with the name of Gregory XV, and his nephew, Ludovico Ludovisi, also cardinal...
were an ancient Italian family, originally from Bologna
Bologna
Bologna is the capital city of Emilia-Romagna, in the Po Valley of Northern Italy. The city lies between the Po River and the Apennine Mountains, more specifically, between the Reno River and the Savena River. Bologna is a lively and cosmopolitan Italian college city, with spectacular history,...
. Bernardino seems to have spent most, if not all, of his career in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
. He is an example of a working sculptor of his time, proficient in his craft but largely forgotten today.
Ludovisi participated in several prominent sculptural projects of his day, such as the Trevi Fountain
Trevi Fountain
The Trevi Fountain is a fountain in the Trevi rione in Rome, Italy. Standing 26 metres high and 20 metres wide, it is the largest Baroque fountain in the city and one of the most famous fountains in the world....
, the ongoing sculptural works of St Peter’s, and the façade of St John Lateran
Basilica of St. John Lateran
The Papal Archbasilica of St. John Lateran , commonly known as St. John Lateran's Archbasilica and St. John Lateran's Basilica, is the cathedral of the Diocese of Rome and the official ecclesiastical seat of the Bishop of Rome, who is the Pope...
. He was one of six Italian sculptors allotted subsidiary tasks to the French masters Pierre Le Gros
Pierre Le Gros the Younger
Pierre Le Gros was a French sculptor, active almost exclusively in Baroque Rome. Nowadays, his name is commonly written Legros, while he himself always signed as Le Gros; he is frequently referred to either as 'the Younger' or 'Pierre II' to distinguish him from his father, Pierre Le Gros the...
and Jean-Baptiste Théodon
Jean-Baptiste Théodon
Jean-Baptiste Théodon . was a French sculptor.Born at Vendrest , he formed his style working in the Manufacture royale des Gobelins organized by Jean-Baptiste Colbert, who saw to it that he was admitted to the newly founded French Academy at Rome in 1675...
working on the Chapel of St Ignatius
Ignatius of Loyola
Ignatius of Loyola was a Spanish knight from a Basque noble family, hermit, priest since 1537, and theologian, who founded the Society of Jesus and was its first Superior General. Ignatius emerged as a religious leader during the Counter-Reformation...
in Il Gesù
Church of the Gesu
The Church of the Gesù is the mother church of the Society of Jesus, a Roman Catholic religious order also known as the Jesuits. Officially named , its facade is "the first truly baroque façade", introducing the baroque style into architecture ,. The church served as model for innumerable Jesuit...
. He was also one of the sculptors commissioned by King João V of Portugal to supply sculpture to his palatial complex at Mafra
Mafra National Palace
The Mafra National Palace is a monumental Baroque and Italianized Neoclassical palace-monastery located in Mafra, Portugal, some 28 kilometres from Lisbon. Its dimensions are so huge that it dwarfs the city...
. Towards the end of his life he was employed by the Colonna family
Colonna family
The Colonna family is an Italian noble family; it was powerful in medieval and Renaissance Rome, supplying one Pope and many other Church and political leaders...
, prominent patrons of the arts, for whom he completed the funerary monuments of Filippo II Colonna
Filippo II Colonna
Filippo II Colonna , 9th Duke and Prince of Paliano, was an Italian nobleman of the prominent Colonna family....
and Maria Rospigliosi Salviati (the latter commissioned by her relative, Caterina Salviati Colonna), as well as a portrait bust of Pope Benedict XIV
Pope Benedict XIV
Pope Benedict XIV , born Prospero Lorenzo Lambertini, was Pope from 17 August 1740 to 3 May 1758.-Life:...
(a gift from Monsignor
Monsignor
Monsignor, pl. monsignori, is the form of address for those members of the clergy of the Catholic Church holding certain ecclesiastical honorific titles. Monsignor is the apocopic form of the Italian monsignore, from the French mon seigneur, meaning "my lord"...
—later Cardinal
Cardinal (Catholicism)
A cardinal is a senior ecclesiastical official, usually an ordained bishop, and ecclesiastical prince of the Catholic Church. They are collectively known as the College of Cardinals, which as a body elects a new pope. The duties of the cardinals include attending the meetings of the College and...
—Marcantonio Colonna to the Pontiff).
Ludovisi began in the vein of Baroque
Baroque
The Baroque is a period and the style that used exaggerated motion and clear, easily interpreted detail to produce drama, tension, exuberance, and grandeur in sculpture, painting, literature, dance, and music...
classicism, but as he matured he began to lean toward the French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
style of Le Gros and the Rococo
Rococo
Rococo , also referred to as "Late Baroque", is an 18th-century style which developed as Baroque artists gave up their symmetry and became increasingly ornate, florid, and playful...
, exemplifying a later, gentler variation of Italian Baroque which Enggass named barocchetto. His work is characterised by an attention to detail, an effective use of colour, and a painterly manner in his reliefs.
List of known works
- Four EvangelistsFour EvangelistsIn Christian tradition the Four Evangelists are Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, the authors attributed with the creation of the four Gospel accounts in the New Testament that bear the following titles:*Gospel according to Matthew*Gospel according to Mark...
(stuccoStuccoStucco or render is a material made of an aggregate, a binder, and water. Stucco is applied wet and hardens to a very dense solid. It is used as decorative coating for walls and ceilings and as a sculptural and artistic material in architecture...
, c.1723–1724), façade of Santissima Trinità dei Pellegrini, RomeSantissima Trinità dei Pellegrini, RomeThe Chiesa della Santissima Trinità dei Pellegrini is a church in the historic city centre of Rome. In the Regola rione, it neighbours other important historic buildings such as the Palazzo Farnese, Ponte Sisto and the Via Giulia.In 2008 Pope Benedict XVI entrusted the parish to the Priestly...
. - God the FatherGod the FatherGod the Father is a gendered title given to God in many monotheistic religions, particularly patriarchal, Abrahamic ones. In Judaism, God is called Father because he is the creator, life-giver, law-giver, and protector...
(marbleMarbleMarble is a metamorphic rock composed of recrystallized carbonate minerals, most commonly calcite or dolomite.Geologists use the term "marble" to refer to metamorphosed limestone; however stonemasons use the term more broadly to encompass unmetamorphosed limestone.Marble is commonly used for...
, bronzeBronzeBronze is a metal alloy consisting primarily of copper, usually with tin as the main additive. It is hard and brittle, and it was particularly significant in antiquity, so much so that the Bronze Age was named after the metal...
and lapis lazuliLapis lazuliLapis lazuli is a relatively rare semi-precious stone that has been prized since antiquity for its intense blue color....
, 1726), Chapel of St Ignatius, Il Gesù, Rome. - Charity (terracottaTerra cottaTerracotta, Terra cotta or Terra-cotta is a clay-based unglazed ceramic, although the term can also be applied to glazed ceramics where the fired body is porous and red in color...
, c. 1728), Museo di Palazzo VeneziaPalazzo VeneziaThe Palazzo di Venezia is a palazzo in central Rome, Italy, just north of the Capitoline Hill. The original structure of this great architectural complex consisted of a modest medieval house intended as the residence of the cardinals appointed to the Church of San Marco...
, Rome (attributed) - Bust of Cardinal Pompeo AldrovandiPompeo AldrovandiNot to be confused with the Baroque painter Pompeo AldrovandiniPompeo Aldrovandi was an Italian Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church.-Biography:...
(1728), Accademia di Belle Arti di BolognaAcademy of Fine Arts of BolognaThe Academy of Fine Arts of Bologna is a post-secondary school for studies in the visual arts, founded in 1710.- External links :...
. - Charity (travertineTravertineTravertine is a form of limestone deposited by mineral springs, especially hot springs. Travertine often has a fibrous or concentric appearance and exists in white, tan, and cream-colored varieties. It is formed by a process of rapid precipitation of calcium carbonate, often at the mouth of a hot...
, 1728–1730), St Peters, Vatican, Rome - St Cajetan of ThieneSaint CajetanSaint Cajetan , born Gaetano dei Conti di Tiene , is a Catholic Church saint and founder of the order of the Clerics Regular, better known as the Theatines...
(marble, 1733), portico, Basilica, Mafra, PortugalPortugalPortugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the... - St Francis of Paola (marble, 1733), portico, Basilica, Mafra, Portugal
- St AugustineAugustine of HippoAugustine of Hippo , also known as Augustine, St. Augustine, St. Austin, St. Augoustinos, Blessed Augustine, or St. Augustine the Blessed, was Bishop of Hippo Regius . He was a Latin-speaking philosopher and theologian who lived in the Roman Africa Province...
(travertine, c.1735), atop the crowning ballustrade of the main façade, S. Giovanni in LaternoBasilica of St. John LateranThe Papal Archbasilica of St. John Lateran , commonly known as St. John Lateran's Archbasilica and St. John Lateran's Basilica, is the cathedral of the Diocese of Rome and the official ecclesiastical seat of the Bishop of Rome, who is the Pope...
, Rome - Naming of John the BaptistJohn the BaptistJohn the Baptist was an itinerant preacher and a major religious figure mentioned in the Canonical gospels. He is described in the Gospel of Luke as a relative of Jesus, who led a movement of baptism at the Jordan River...
(relief, c. 1735), narthexNarthexThe narthex of a church is the entrance or lobby area, located at the end of the nave, at the far end from the church's main altar. Traditionally the narthex was a part of the church building, but was not considered part of the church proper...
, S. Giovanni in Laterno, Rome - Caritas RomanaRoman CharityRoman Charity is the exemplary story of a daughter, Pero, who secretly breastfeeds her father, Cimon, after he is incarcerated and sentenced to death by starvation...
(terracotta, c. 1735), State Hermitage Museum, St Petersburg. - Fertility of the Fields (marble, 1736), Trevi Fountain, Rome.
- Angels and cherub heads (stucco, c. 1735–1740), presbyteryPresbytery (architecture)The presbytery is the name for an area in a church building which is reserved for the clergy.In the oldest church it is separated by short walls, by small columns and pilasters in the Renaissance ones; it can also be raised, being reachable by a few steps, usually with railings....
, S. Maria degli AngeliSanta Maria degli Angeli e dei MartiriThe Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels and the Martyrs is a titular basilica church in Rome, built inside the frigidarium of the Baths of Diocletian. The Cardinal priest of the is William Henry Keeler.- The basilica :...
, Rome - Mary MagdaleneMary MagdaleneMary Magdalene was one of Jesus' most celebrated disciples, and the most important woman disciple in the movement of Jesus. Jesus cleansed her of "seven demons", conventionally interpreted as referring to complex illnesses...
(marble, c. 1735–1740), Spencer Museum of ArtSpencer Museum of ArtThe Spencer Museum of Art, or SMA, is an art museum on the campus of University of Kansas in Lawrence, Kansas. While admission is free, donations are accepted. Also located inside the Spencer Museum of Art are the Kress Foundation Department of Art History, and the Murphy Library of Art &...
, University of KansasUniversity of KansasThe University of Kansas is a public research university and the largest university in the state of Kansas. KU campuses are located in Lawrence, Wichita, Overland Park, and Kansas City, Kansas with the main campus being located in Lawrence on Mount Oread, the highest point in Lawrence. The...
, LawrenceLawrence, KansasLawrence is the sixth largest city in the U.S. State of Kansas and the county seat of Douglas County. Located in northeastern Kansas, Lawrence is the anchor city of the Lawrence, Kansas, Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses all of Douglas County...
(attribued) - Caritas Romana (marble, 1737), Jardim do Ultramar, LisbonLisbonLisbon is the capital city and largest city of Portugal with a population of 545,245 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Lisbon extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of 3 million on an area of , making it the 9th most populous urban...
- Copy of Caritas Romana (marble, date unknown), Museo de Arte de PoncePonce Museum of ArtMuseo de Arte de Ponce, or MAP, is an art museum located on Las Americas Avenue in Ponce, Puerto Rico. It is considered the finest art museum in Puerto Rico. It houses a collection of European art, as well as work by Puerto Rican artists. The largest art museum in the Caribbean, it has also been...
, Puerto RicoPuerto RicoPuerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
(artist unknown) - Winged Glory (terracotta, c. 1742), State Hermitage Museum, St Petersburg.
- Giovanni Patrizj Offers His Riches to the Pope (marble relief, 1743), narthex, S. Maria MaggioreBasilica di Santa Maria MaggioreThe Papal Basilica of Saint Mary Major , known also by other names, is the largest Roman Catholic Marian church in Rome, Italy.There are other churches in Rome dedicated to Mary, such as Santa Maria in Trastevere, Santa Maria in Aracoeli, Santa Maria sopra Minerva, but the greater size of the...
, Rome - Unidentified Pope (Travertine, c. 1743–1744), atop façade, S. Maria Maggiore, Rome
- St John the Baptist Preaching in the Wilderness (marble relief, 1743–1747), vault, Chapel of St John the Baptist, São Roque, Lisbon.
- Two PuttiPuttoA putto is a figure of an infant often depicted as a young male. Putti are defined as chubby, winged or wingless, male child figure in nude. Putti are distinct from cherubim, but some English-speakers confuse them with each other, except that in the plural, "the Cherubim" refers to the biblical...
(silverSilverSilver is a metallic chemical element with the chemical symbol Ag and atomic number 47. A soft, white, lustrous transition metal, it has the highest electrical conductivity of any element and the highest thermal conductivity of any metal...
, 1743–1747) flanking Adoration of the Lamb of God altar frontal , Museu de São Roque, Lisbon. - Tomb of Giorgio Cardinal Spinola (white & polychrome marbles, gessoGessoGesso is a white paint mixture consisting of a binder mixed with chalk, gypsum, pigment, or any combination of these...
, bronze, 1744), left aisle, S. Salvatore alle Coppelle, Rome - Tomb of Prince Filippo II Colonna (white & coloured marbles with gilt bronze, 1745), S. Andrea, PalianoPalianoPaliano is a town and comune in the province of Frosinone, in the Lazio region of central Italy.- History :Paliano was the seat of a branch of the powerful Colonna family whose head was Lord, then Duke, then Prince of Paliano. Their fortress dominates the town...
, Italy. - Portrait Bust of Pope Benedict XIV (white marble, gilt bronze, precious stones, 1746), private collection.
- Glory of Angels (marble, gilt bronze & stucco, 1747), presbytery, S. Apollinare, Rome
- Angels Bearing Lilies (marble, c. 1748), balustrade, Chapel of S Luigi GonzagaAloysius Gonzaga- Early life :Aloysius Gonzaga was born at his family's castle in Castiglione delle Stiviere, between Brescia and Mantova in northern Italy in what was then part of the Papal States. He was a member of the illustrious House of Gonzaga...
, S. IgnazioSant'IgnazioThe Church of Saint Ignatius of Loyola at Campus Martius is Roman Catholic titular church dedicated to Ignatius of Loyola, the founder of the Jesuit order, located in Rome, Italy...
, Rome - Two Putti (marble, c. 1748), flanking sarcophagus, Chapel of St Louis Gonzaga, S. Ignazio, Rome (attributed)
- Monument of Maria Rospigliosi Salviati (white & coloured marbles, 1749), Colonna Chapel, SS. ApostoliSanti ApostoliThe Church of the Twelve Holy Apostles is a 6th century Roman Catholic parish and titular church and minor basilica in Rome, Italy, dedicated originally to St. James and St. Philip and later to all Apostles...
, Rome. - The Evangelist Matthew (teracotta, no date), Inv.-Nr.9/87, Staatliche Museen zu Berlin.
- Tomb of Don Porfirio Antonini, S. Giovanni in Ayno, Rome (no longer used as a church, tomb has disappeared)
External links
- http://www.romeartlover.it/Sculptures.html - scroll down for link to some images of Ludovisi’s works.