Gianlorenzo Bernini Definer of the Baroque
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George Gilliam
Early World History
March 2, 2003
Gianlorenzo Bernini, the Definer of the 'Baroque'
Gianlorenzo Bernini is and was regarded as not only the best artist of his era, but the greatest man as well. Bernini, a painter, sculptor and architect who was born in 1598 and died just days before his 82nd birthday in 1680 was the last of many brilliant artists who represented Italy and made it one of the gems of the Western world for three centuries. Bernini's virtuosity shares an echelon with artists such as Da Vinci or Michelangelo. Bernini was also an artist who influenced more people than any other artist. His influence on his artistic era is "without parallel in history" (Wallace 9).A visitor to Rome today cannot walk for more than a few minutes without coming across a work by Bernini. The list of his works is practically endless. Rome also contains many palaces, churches and monuments that were powerfully influenced by Bernini's style. One of Bernini's irritated rivals remarked, "To work in Rome, is to work for Bernini," expressing how Bernini's artistic ways have made Rome what it is today and what it was then. All of Bernini's accomplishments, successes and influences are the cause of Rome being viewed with an appearance that defines 17th Century Baroque (Wallace 10)...