The Sculpture That Brings Stone To Life
The Rape of Proserpina — Bernini’s first masterpiece
The story of Proserpine — or Proserpina in Latin — is told in Ovid’s Metamorphoses. Proserpine is the daughter of the corn-goddess Ceres, who whilst out gathering flowers in the Vale of Nysa was seen by the powerful god Pluto, King of the Underworld.
According to Ovid, Pluto was struck by an arrow from Cupid and was suddenly enraptured by Proserpine. He gathered her up and swept her away on his chariot, taking her down to the Underworld and forcing her to become his bride.
This sculpture, carved in marble by the Italian artist Gian Lorenzo Bernini was finished in 1622 and captures the tension-filled moment of Proserpine’s abduction.
With their twisted poses, the two figures come alive through Bernini’s captivating attention to detail. It is all the more conspicuous when one thinks that Bernini was just 23 years old when he made this sculpture.
How Bernini Became An Artist
Bernini’s own journey began in Naples, where he was born in 1598. Son of the sculptor Pietro Bernini, the young artist was quickly recognised for his creative abilities, even attracting the attention of Pope Paul V, who is recorded as saying, “This child will be the…
