Pietro Bernini (6 May 1562 – 29 August 1629) was an Italian

sculptor Sculpture is the branch of the visual arts that operates in three dimensions. Sculpture is the three-dimensional art work which is physically presented in the dimensions of height, width and depth. It is one of the plastic arts. Durable sc ...

. He was the father of one of the most famous artists of Baroque,

Gian Lorenzo Bernini Gian Lorenzo (or Gianlorenzo) Bernini (, ; ; Italian Giovanni Lorenzo; 7 December 1598 – 28 November 1680) was an Italians, Italian sculptor and Italian architect, architect. While a major figure in the world of architecture, he was more prom ...

, as well as the sculptor-architect Luigi Bernini.

Biography

Bernini was born in Sesto Fiorentino,

Tuscany Tuscany ( ; ) is a Regions of Italy, region in central Italy with an area of about and a population of 3,660,834 inhabitants as of 2025. The capital city is Florence. Tuscany is known for its landscapes, history, artistic legacy, and its in ...

. He moved to

Naples Naples ( ; ; ) is the Regions of Italy, regional capital of Campania and the third-largest city of Italy, after Rome and Milan, with a population of 908,082 within the city's administrative limits as of 2025, while its Metropolitan City of N ...

to work on the Certosa di San Martino there, and Gian Lorenzo was born in Naples in 1598. In 1605 the family moved to

Rome Rome (Italian language, Italian and , ) is the capital city and most populated (municipality) of Italy. It is also the administrative centre of the Lazio Regions of Italy, region and of the Metropolitan City of Rome. A special named with 2, ...

under the protection of Cardinal Scipione Borghese. In Rome, he worked on various projects for Pope Paul V, another Borghese, including the Pauline Chapel in the Basilica of

Santa Maria Maggiore Santa Maria Maggiore (), also known as the Basilica of Saint Mary Major or the Basilica of Saint Mary the Great, is one of the four Basilicas in the Catholic Church#Major and papal basilicas, major papal basilicas and one of the Seven Pilgrim C ...

. One of Pietro Bernini's best-known contributions to the city of Rome is the Fontana della Barcaccia (''Fountain of the Old Boat'') which resembles a beached ship and is located at the foot of the Spanish Steps. It was commissioned by

Pope Urban VIII Pope Urban VIII (; ; baptised 5 April 1568 – 29 July 1644), born Maffeo Vincenzo Barberini, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 6 August 1623 to his death, in July 1644. As pope, he expanded the papal terri ...

and built in 1627. He also contributed to the

Fountain of Neptune, Naples The Fountain of Neptune () is a monumental fountain, located in Municipio square, in Naples, Italy. The fountain until the end of 2014 was located across the street of via Medina across from the church of Santa Maria Incoronata, Naples and a few ...

, completed between 1600 and 1601. Initially collaborating with his son (for example on '' Boy with a Dragon'' in 1617) but later overshadowed by his talent, the elder Bernini ended his career as an independent sculptor around 1617, evidently happy to act as his son's assistant. Franco Mormando, ''Bernini: His Life and His Rome'', 2011, pages 9-11 He died in Rome, aged 67.

Gallery

File:Barcaccia.JPG, Fontana della Barcaccia,

File:Cappella paolina o borghese, monum di paolo V del ponzio con cariatidi di pietro bernini 02.JPG, Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore Image:Napoli s Martino Pietro Bernini Carità di s Martino 1050007.JPG, ''Saint Martin Dividing his Cloak'', Certosa di San Martino,

File:Flora Bernini.JPG, ''Flora'' by Pietro Bernini, 1616

References

Gian Lorenzo Bernini 1562 births 1629 deaths People from Sesto Fiorentino 16th-century Italian sculptors Italian male sculptors Italian Roman Catholics 17th-century Italian sculptors {{Italy-sculptor-stub