10 December 2013

Artistic skill beyond what words can describe


Detail from The Rape of Prosperina [Persephone], a sculpture in marble by Gianlorenzo Bernini.

Photo by Bill Barnewall.

8 comments:

  1. I visited this villa, and of all the sexual-assualt themed statuary I've perused in my life, this was by far my favorite. Real talk though: there was a second statue by Bernini in Villa Borghese (I looked it up - it's Apollo and Daphne) that was nearly as beautiful. I remember the detail on the tree elements of Daphne captivating me for no few minutes.

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  3. If I recall correctly from art history class, rape meant kidnapping at the time the Greek myth was created.

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    1. I've a hunch that rape has a fascinating lexical history.

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    2. I believe rape just meant to seize by force. Of course, one was usually carrying off women, and usually not for a knitting circle, so the modern usage shift seems a logical shortcut.

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  4. Bernini's David is beautiful as well. The movement in all of his works is astounding.

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  5. I have the good fortune to live in the same city which is home to these wonderful statues. I think the particular you selected, fingers indenting flesh, is the best example of Bernini's genius.

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