Bernini was a man of importance with a powerful, larger than life personality (Mormando 94). After his near-death experience, when his home had burnt to ash, he lived with the male egocentric need to conquer and possess women with love and sex. Finding his lust and passions sated with Costanza Piccolomini Bonarelli, who is the wife of one of the sculptors under Bernini’s employment. Bernini sculpted her likeness in marble with a sensual fixed and pointed gaze, the ruffled appearance of a nightgown concealing ample cleavage that’s exposed to some extent, showing a deep desire and love from Bernini. McPhee writes that Bernini portrays an older tradition of “sculptural decorum.” Her mouth is imperceptibly open and her small teeth are peeking through; using “certain Venus figures” (42), as inspiration for his sculpture to portray the love he had for Costanza. Bernini discovered that Constanza may have been committing adultery and made preparations to scout her house to see if the rumors were true. As he waited in his carriage he discovered his brother leaving her home in the morning. Bernini slipped into a state of temporary insanity where McPhee writes that; “he chased his
Bernini was a man of importance with a powerful, larger than life personality (Mormando 94). After his near-death experience, when his home had burnt to ash, he lived with the male egocentric need to conquer and possess women with love and sex. Finding his lust and passions sated with Costanza Piccolomini Bonarelli, who is the wife of one of the sculptors under Bernini’s employment. Bernini sculpted her likeness in marble with a sensual fixed and pointed gaze, the ruffled appearance of a nightgown concealing ample cleavage that’s exposed to some extent, showing a deep desire and love from Bernini. McPhee writes that Bernini portrays an older tradition of “sculptural decorum.” Her mouth is imperceptibly open and her small teeth are peeking through; using “certain Venus figures” (42), as inspiration for his sculpture to portray the love he had for Costanza. Bernini discovered that Constanza may have been committing adultery and made preparations to scout her house to see if the rumors were true. As he waited in his carriage he discovered his brother leaving her home in the morning. Bernini slipped into a state of temporary insanity where McPhee writes that; “he chased his