(21) Bernini's "Baldacchino" - A masterpiece bronze statue that stands out in St. Peter's Basilica! And a surprising episode with the Pantheon.

Travels in Rome] (21) Bernini's "Baldacchino" - A masterpiece bronze statue that stands out in St. Peter's Basilica! And a surprising episode with the Pantheon.

St. Peter's Basilica is the symbol of the Vatican, the headquarters of Roman Catholicism. The Baldacchino by Bernini sits on the central altar of the cathedral.

This huge baldacchino is made of bronze. Its huge, blackened body on a column with a twist. I was also astonished when I saw this for the first time in 2019. It was truly a shock that left me speechless. (TheSt. Peter's Basilica, the main temple of Roman Catholicism - overwhelmed by beauty beyond imagination, Vatican, Italy (4)(See article in)

In this article, I would like to talk about Baldacchino.

Baldacchino production commissioned by Urbanus VIII to Bernini

In parallel with this renovation of Santa Bibiana (*blog author's note, previous post)(20) Visit to the Church of Santa Bibiana, the debut work of architect Bernini! The most powerful patron, Urbanus VIII."(See also), more important work was underway. (The word "baldacchino" originally referred to baldacco, or gold brocade from Baghdad, but gradually came to mean a canopy over an altar or throne made of luxurious materials. The word "baldakkino" was originally used to describe gold brocade from Baghdad.

The building itself was almost completed, and the dedication ceremony was held in 1626, but the biggest remaining problem was how to arrange and decorate the tomb of St. Peter and the main altar. A temporary arrangement was made and broken several times without a definitive solution being found. Bernini himself had created four statues of angels in stucco for a temporary baldacchino during the reign of Gregory XV. After some twists and turns, however, it was decided to build the main altar over the tomb of St. Peter and cover it with a bronze baldacchino. Naturally, it had to be worthy of the enormous space under the dome. Creating such a large baldacchino was a technically challenging task. Nevertheless, Urbanus VIII entrusted the job not to Maderno, the old grand master who was the chief architect of St. Peter's, but to the 25-year-old Bernini.

It is known that the main altar of the old St. Peter's, built by the Emperor Constantine, was set above the saint's tomb, with a canopy supported by four pillars of mottled rock, surrounded by twelve twisted pillars that formed the inner sanctuary. Six of these twelve twisted columns were from the reign of Emperor Constantine (306-37), and the remaining six were added by Pope Gregory I the Great (590-604) when he rebuilt it.

In Bernini's time, it was believed that these twisted columns came from the Temple of Solomon in Jerusalem. Sometimes it is claimed that the twisted columns of Bernini's Baldacchino are a product of his and the Baroque aesthetic, but this is not true. It was adopted to be faithful to the traditions of the old St. Peter's, rather than to the traditions of the early church, which is how the Counter-Reformation people respected the traditions of the early church. In fact, the plan to use such columns had already been conceived during the reign of Paulus V, and the plans of Maderno, who adopted it, are still extant. Bernini merely inherited this plan. However, he used it to create a completely new and truly baroque work.
*some line breaks.

Masumi Ishinabe, Yoshikawa KobunkanBernini, Giant Star of Baroque Art.p51-52

At the age of 25, Bernini was given this very important assignment. This episode shows how much the Pope trusted him.

And I was surprised anyway that this Baldacchino shape was not his original creation, but was in line with the tradition of the early church. But as mentioned at the end, it was Bernini who created something innovative while following tradition.

Let's continue to look at the explanations.

Baldacchino decided to procure copper from the Pantheon. Nine years to completion

Bernini began work on Baldacchino in the summer of 1624. First, he made a small wooden model, which was approved by the Pope, and then he made two full-size columns, also in wood. He then made a mold of the wooden columns, decorating them with wax in various ways, and finally injecting bronze into them. A large quantity of bronze was needed to cast the huge Baldacchino column (28.5 meters high). At the time, bronze was always in short supply due to the Thirty Years' War, so various measures had to be taken to secure the necessary quantities.

First, the ribs of St. Peter's were removed, then the bronze beams of the portico of the Pantheon were replaced with wood, but this was not enough, so a special order was placed with Venice. This large supply from Venice is said to have resulted in a surplus of enough bronze to make 80 cannons for Castel Sant'Angelo. However, the satiric Romans would not be silent about the fact that bronzes were brought from the Pantheon on the initiative of Bernini, and the following famoussatirical poempasquinowas born. "savage tribeBarbaryQuod non fecerunt barbari, fecerunt Barberini. However, thissatirical poempasquinoThe author of this book is Giulio Mancini, the Pope's own physician-in-charge.satirical poempasquino(is also said to have been the first to be performed in the presence of the Pope).

Each column was cast in five parts: the head, the base, and the body, which was divided into three parts. The casting process was carried out in two specially constructed furnaces, and for two years, Bernini supervised the work, both on sunny days and rainy days, until late at night, according to the record. The columns were finally completed and erected in the summer of 1627 on marble pedestals carved by Agostino Lardi, the brother-in-law of Boglioromini and Bernini.

The next important question was what kind of canopy should be placed on top of the columns. Bernini signed the contract for this work in 1628, but it was not completed until 1633. The reason it took so long was that the design had to be changed during the course of the project.

At first, Bernini proposed to add two arches in the shape of the canopy of the old St. Peter's, with a statue of Christ at the top. However, this plan was criticized as mechanically impossible, and in the end, he was forced to reconsider. After much deliberation, Bernini decided to build the arches in wood and bronze, as we see today.Spiral ribsvueltaThe cross was replaced by a statue of Christ to reduce the weight of the statue. The Baldacchino was completed with the addition of four angels, putti, and various other decorations. It took nine years and 200,000 ducats to complete, for which Bernini received 10,000 ducats.
*some line breaks.

Masumi Ishinabe, Yoshikawa KobunkanBernini, Giant Star of Baroque Art.p52-53

It is very interesting to note that copper from the Pantheon was used in the creation of this giant baldacchino.(8) The Pantheon, praised by Michelangelo Bernini! Here is the highest beauty of Roman architecture!"As I mentioned briefly in my article on the Pantheon, the copper borrowed from the beams of the ceiling section (portico) at the entrance to the Pantheon became the baldacchino.

And Urbanus VIII, who took the bronze from the Pantheon, which was loved by the citizens as the pride of Rome, would naturally have been condemned by the citizens. But the fact that he was still able to carry out this measure is a testament to the strength of the pope's power. However, it would not have been possible for Bernini to do such a bold thing if he did not have the utmost confidence in what he was creating. After all, it can be said that Baldacchino was made possible only by the strongest tag team of Bernini and his patron, Urbanus VIII.

Bernini shows outstanding leadership and direction

This Baldacchino was the first work in which Bellini led a large group of artists. According to Baldinucci, he had a passionate and lively eye, and "when he gave an order, he only had to give one to make them fear him. As can be inferred from these words, he was blessed with extraordinary leadership skills and the ability to use other artists to create the work he wanted. In this respect, he was in stark contrast to Michelangelo, the lone genius who was too busy doing everything himself and never trained apprentices. We will rather recall Giotto and Rubens of the North, who were the great leaders of the Grand Studio. As he became busier and busier, Bernini himself did not often take part in the work, just as Giotto had done. Therefore, in the study of Bernini, the extent of the master's involvement in each work has always been an issue. In the case of Baldacchino, Bernini himself seems to have been more directly involved than in the later works, but scholars are still keen to discuss how the initial idea came about and what contribution his rival genius, Boㇽromini, made.

In retrospect, Bernini later said of the Baldacchino, "The work was done well thanks to good fortune," and after overcoming numerous difficulties, the work was extremely successful. The Baldacchino is in perfect harmony with the vast dome space, yet asserts its own unique presence. It gives meaning to the tremendous space and at the same time serves as an intermediary between the viewer and the massive architecture. The use of bronze as a material was also a good choice. The dark color of the bronze, filled with a dull light, is reflected in the huge marble columns of Bramante, and at the same time, it is used to its fullest advantage. St. Peter's tomb and the Pope's altar, the center of the Catholic world and the center of St. Peter's, were thus beautifully decorated.

Masumi Ishinabe, Yoshikawa KobunkanBernini, Giant Star of Baroque Art.p53-54

The contrast with Michelangelo, the lone genius, is very interesting. The Sistine Chapel ceiling and "The Last Judgment" were painted almost entirely by his own hand. He painted those huge paintings all by himself. Every time I visit the Sistine Chapel, I am always astonished by Michelangelo.

In contrast, Michelangelo was very skilled at working in teams to create his works. He was also a sociable person, able to form relationships with anyone, royalty or aristocrats, craftsmen or artisans. He was also a natural conversationalist and a leader. He was a leader in his own right.

Michelangelo, the lone genius, and Bernini, the great leader. I am not talking about who is more amazing, but the comparison of these two men was truly stimulating for me.

The meaning behind Baldacchino - the first masterpiece that marks the opening of the Baroque heyday.

Finally, a word should be said about the meaning behind this baldacchino. I have already mentioned that the twisted columns used here are a tribute to Solomon's temple and the traditions of the early church. There are many other meanings in this work. The most striking of these is the Pope's ownadvertisementpropagandaIt is a The papal coat of arms with three bees is engraved on the base of the column. Not only that, but the ancient motif of golden bees perching on every part of the baldacchino and grapes tangling on the columns has been replaced by the laurel that the literature-loving pope used as his emblem, and the "shining sun," also representing the Barberini family, is engraved on the top of the column heads. The baldacchino seems to be intended in one sense to show off the triumph of the Counter-Reformation, but at the same time it is a symbol of Pope Urbanus VIII, who is entrusted with the keys of the earth, and of the "shining sun" of the Barberini family.advertisementpropagandaIt was also the case. SuchadvertisementpropagandaThe Baldacchino has a distinctly "baroque" character in its rhetoric, its skillful additions to the traditions of the early church, the grandeur of its expression, and the fact that it is a comprehensive work of art that can neither be described as architecture nor sculpture. It is a monument that heralds the opening of the fertile European Baroque world, and is the first masterpiece that best embodies its spirit.

Masumi Ishinabe, Yoshikawa KobunkanBernini, Giant Star of Baroque Art.p

I love St. Peter's Basilica. This church overwhelms me with its phenomenal scale in every way.

But it was still Bernini's outstanding talent that made the difference. Without Baldacchino, the cathedral would have looked completely different. One can only imagine how much harmony is created by the presence of the dark Baldacchino in this world of shining marble.

And, as explained above, it has not only an artistic aspect but also a propaganda aspect.

Masumi Ishinabe is a member of the"Such as this.advertisementpropagandaThe Baldacchino has a distinctly "baroque" character, in its rhetoric, which skillfully incorporates the traditions of the early church, in its grandeur of expression, and in the fact that it is a comprehensive work of art that can neither be described as architecture nor sculpture. It is a monument that heralds the opening of the fertile European Baroque world, the first masterpiece that best embodies its spirit."Bernini's Baldacchino is the masterpiece that marks the opening of the Roman Baroque.

be unbroken

*The list of articles in the "Rome Travel Journal" can be found atCategory page hereindicates direction or goal (e.g. "to")

*Please visit this category page for recommended books to learn about Rome and Italy.
The Rise and Fall of the Roman Empire, the Vatican, and Roman Catholicism."
The Italian Renaissance and the Revolution in Knowledge."

*The following photos are my Bernini notes. I hope you will find them useful.

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