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Tomb of Pope Alexander VII

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223:" which translates from Latin to "remember you will die". The plinth is in black, as a sign of mourning for the Pope. The expansive billowing drapery of dark Sicilian jasper contrasts dramatically with the still white marble figures. In situations where Bernini needed a great mass of material, he could not depend just on marble recovered from ancient buildings and chose to work with a more modern marble. Thus he chose the Sicilian red jasper, the coloring rich in red tones with green streamed in. Even though the decision was based upon need, you can see Bernini's artistry throughout the tomb. The white marble contains a more pure feeling surrounding the figures of the Pope and the four virtues. This greatly contrasts to the dramatic drapery and the bronze figure of Death, both rich in color, adding emphasis to their meaning. 313: 29: 301: 289: 592: 226:
The monument was a collaboration between Bernini and his assistants, the latter doing most of the work under the close supervision of Bernini. These collaborators included G. Mazzuoli, L. Morelli, G. Cartari, M. Maglia, and L. Balestri. Bernini himself most likely worked on the statue of the Pope.
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Bernini began working on a design and model of the whole tomb and on October 7, 1672, and was paid one thousand scudi for the start of his work. There are many surviving early designs of the tomb that still exist today. An early design of the tomb that was made in Bernini's studio survives in the
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in London. In December 1671, the actual construction of the tomb began with wooden and clay framework or the full-scale model of the tomb. The last payment to Bernini is recorded on April 9, 1672. After receiving his payment, Bernini had drawings sent out to the quarry specifying the size of the
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There are six significant figures in the monument. At the apex is Alexander kneeling in prayer. Below him are four female statues representing virtues practiced by the Pontiff. On the foreground is Charity with a child in her arms. To the right of that is Truth, whose foot rests on a globe. More
248:. After Clement's death, the idea was abandoned and the location changed to St. Peter's Basilica. The tomb was to be placed in a niche containing a door of the south transept. Bernini cleverly incorporated Death and the marble shroud hanging slightly over the door since it could not be moved. 235:
Early in his pontificate, Alexander knew he would need a monumental tomb to immortalize him; like his predecessors he commissioned the celebrated artist Bernini. The papal diary first mentions the monument as early as August 9, 1656. After his death, the project was directed and paid for by
265:, once the tomb was unveiled, had objected to not only the nudity of Truth but also the bare breasts of Charity. Thus Bernini was forced to dress the figures. The last commissioned piece of Gianlorenzo Bernini was finally finished and unveiled in 1678. 201:
himself. However, construction of the monument did not start until 1671 and was completed in 1678, eleven years after the Pope's death. At the age of 81, this would be Bernini's last major sculptural commission before his death in 1680.
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at Windsor. Two small clay bozzetti have survived which include Charity, in the Istituto delle Belle Arti in Siena, and the kneeling pope of Alexander in the
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marble blocks on July 23 of that same year. The tomb was almost finished but there was another pope who had something to say about it.
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precisely, Truth's foot is placed directly over England, where Pope Alexander had striven to subdue the growth of
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Known for his portrait sculptures, he probably put the finishing touches to Alexander's face.
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is a sculptural monument designed and partially executed by the Italian artist
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Koortbojian, Michael (1991). "Disegni for the Tomb of Alexander VII".
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Nicolo Suffi, "St Peter's: Guide to the Basilica and Square,"
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Figure of Truth, sculpted by Lazzaro Morelli and Giulio Catari
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The Goat Amalthea with the Infant Jupiter and a Faun
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It is located in the south transept of 16:Sculpture designed by Gianlorenzo Bernini 447:Mezzatesta and Preimesberger, "Bernini". 379:Mezzatesta and Preimesberger, "Bernini". 956:Two Busts of Cardinal Scipione Borghese 837:Bust of Monsignor Pedro de Foix Montoya 353: 351: 334: 284: 1505:Sculptures of children in Vatican City 858:Bust of Cardinal Escoubleau de Sourdis 816:Bust of Alessandro Peretti di Montalto 530:and Rudolf Preimesberger. "Bernini." 275:List of works by Gian Lorenzo Bernini 7: 1234:Equestrian Statue of King Louis XIV 1058:Confessio of Santa Francesca Romana 963:Tomb of Countess Matilda of Tuscany 844:Bust of Cardinal Roberto Bellarmine 306:Detail of the Tomb of Alexander VII 1480:Sculptures by Gian Lorenzo Bernini 294:Side View of Tomb of Alexander VII 14: 1192:Statue of King Philip IV of Spain 672:Bust of Giovanni Battista Santoni 851:Bust of Cardinal Giovanni Dolfin 590: 311: 299: 287: 197:. 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The Warburg Institute. 26: 1305:Sant'Andrea al Quirinale 1266:Statue of Pope Clement X 1220:Bust of Gabriele Fonseca 1111:Busts of Pope Innocent X 830:Busts of Pope Urban VIII 558:, The Glass Press, Inc. 172:Statue of Pope Clement X 1450:Luigi Bernini (brother) 1445:Pietro Bernini (father) 1335:Fontana della Barcaccia 1178:Statue of Alexander VII 1086:Ecstasy of Saint Teresa 1051:Memorial to Maria Raggi 928:Sleeping Hermaphroditus 914:Tomb of Pope Urban VIII 788:Bust of Pope Gregory XV 536:(subscription required) 1440:Domenico Bernini (son) 1185:Busts of Alexander VII 1146:Habakkuk and the Angel 1072:Truth Unveiled by Time 998:Bust of King Charles I 774:The Rape of Proserpina 528:Mezzatesta, Michael P. 422:, 199; and Wittkower, 795:St. Peter's Baldachin 597:Tomb of Alexander VII 238:Cardinal Flavio Chigi 142:41.90222°N 12.45333°E 1199:Elephant and Obelisk 1153:Chair of Saint Peter 1005:Bust of Thomas Baker 634:Gian Lorenzo Bernini 599:at Wikimedia Commons 409:Suffi, "St Peter's". 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Under 103:Location 1429:Related 497:Bernini 467:Bernini 424:Bernini 420:Bernini 398:Bernini 368:Bernini 366:Borsi, 343:Bernini 281:Gallery 206:Figures 193:in the 85:Subject 51: ( 1125:Corpus 1012:Medusa 576:  562:  548:  503:  469:, 238. 370:, 236. 345:, 199. 217:jasper 80:Marble 77:Medium 36:Artist 1244:1670s 1170:1660s 1103:1650s 1022:1640s 941:1630s 809:David 752:1620s 657:1610s 329:Notes 574:ISBN 560:ISBN 546:ISBN 501:ISBN 179:The 69:Type 46:Year 519:doi 1471:: 534:. 515:54 495:. 431:^ 384:^ 350:^ 109:, 64:77 626:e 619:t 612:v 521:: 55:)

Index


Gian Lorenzo Bernini
Pope Alexander VII
St. Peter's Basilica
Vatican City
Coordinates
41°54′8″N 12°27′12″E / 41.90222°N 12.45333°E / 41.90222; 12.45333
Blessed Ludovica Albertoni
Statue of Pope Clement X
Gian Lorenzo Bernini
St. Peter's Basilica
Vatican City
Pope Alexander VII
Anglicanism
jasper
memento mori
Cardinal Flavio Chigi
Pope Clement IX
Santa Maria Maggiore
Royal Library
Victoria and Albert Museum
Pope Innocent XI
List of works by Gian Lorenzo Bernini
Side View of Tomb of Alexander VII
Detail of the Tomb of Alexander VII
Figure of Truth, sculpted by Lazzaro Morelli and Giulio Catari



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