DAVID, GIAN LORENZO BERNINI

            

Sculpture performed by the famous sculptor Gian Lorenzo Bernini (1598-1680) one of the greatest artists of Baroque Art, who performed works of architecture, painting, and sculpture during the 17th Century. This sculpture was made in 1623-1624, and this work was ordered by the Cardinal Scipione Borghese, one of the most important patrons of the brilliant sculptor.

This sculpture,is made in white marble and in a natural size (1,70 meters of high), it shows the image of David's entire body, and Bernini represented the moment when David is going to throw the stone that would kill Goliath. Bernini represents David supported on both legs. When Bernini made his work he chose an adult model, not as Donatello and Michaelangelo.

Some details are that the left foot is delayed with respect to the right one and also that David´s face shows concentration, because he is frowning his eyes and he also is biting his low lip. The sculpture is typical of Baroque Art and it also shows  different points of view from different angles. At the bottom he placed a harp, which symbolizes David's faith, and also that David would be a poet. Some extra information is that the polishing of the sculpture is magnificent and also the different effects of light that crosses the work.




 With this work Bernini treats David's confrontation with Goliath , that had already been performed by some of the biggest sculptors of the Renaissance as Donatello, Verrocchio or Michelangelo. But, Bernini’s sculpture was very different from other representations because of the form he represented it. Here David is not a young person, he is shepherd who defeats the biggest and fiercest soldier of the enemy army. The whole work has dynamism up to the point that it seems to leave of the pedestal, which is a typical resource of Baroque.

Nowadays, this sculpture is in the palace of Scipione Borghese that is a gallery now, called the Borghese gallery, one of the principal and most important galleries in Rome.

Bernini shows in his David a new spirit, that of the Counter-Reformist Baroque in fight against the Protestantism. During the realization of this work, the cardinal Maffeo Barberini was present in numerous occasions. Barberini became Pope in the same year, and he would have Bernini as one of his favorite artists.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

              

http://arte.laguia2000.com/escultura/david-de-bernini

http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_(escultura_de_Bernini)

http://www.arteclasico.bligoo.com/content/view/566489/David-de-Bernini.html#.VGzafvmG-

http://remnantofgiants.files.wordpress.com/2013/09/bernini-david.jpg

http://www.whiteeyebrows.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/bernini_david4.jpeg

http://davidbernini.blogspot.com.es/