''Truth Unveiled by Time'' is a marble sculpture by Italian artist

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 ...

, one of the foremost sculptors of the Italian Baroque. Executed between 1645 and 1652, Bernini intended to show ''Truth'' allegorically as a naked young woman being unveiled by a figure of ''Time'' above her, but the figure of ''Time'' was never executed.

Historical background

Upon his election to the papacy in 1623, Maffeo Vincenzo Barberini took the name

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 appointed Bernini as the principal artist for the papal court in

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, ...

. According to Bernini's biographer Baldinucci, Maffeo had 'scarcely ascended the sacred throne' when he summoned Bernini and told him:

"It is your great fortune to see Cardinal Maffeo Barberini Pope, but our fortune is far greater in that Cavalier Bernini lives during our pontificate."

Bernini enjoyed great success during his time as the principal artist for the papal court but, after Urban's death in 1644, he was removed by the incoming pope,

Innocent X Pope Innocent X (6 May 1574 – 7 January 1655), born Giovanni Battista Pamphilj (or Pamphili), was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 15 September 1644 to his death, in January 1655. Born in Rome of a family fro ...

. The new pope had more conservative tastes and favored Bernini's rival Algardi. Despite the fall from favor this did not stop Bernini from occasionally working for the new pope - One of his most famous works, the '' Fountain of the Four Rivers,'' was one of the projects done for Innocent. He still maintained his position as the architect of St. Peter's despite his removal from the papal court and, after Innocent's death in 1655, was immediately given two major commissions at St. Peter's: decorating the ''

Cathedra Petri The Chair of Saint Peter (), also known as the Throne of Saint Peter, is a relic conserved in St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City, the sovereign enclave of the Pope inside Rome, Italy. The relic is a wooden throne that tradition claims belonged ...

'' and building a colonnade round the piazza. Bernini's rationale for creating ''Truth Unveiled by Time'' was, according to his son Domenico, as a sculptural retort to attacks from opponents criticizing his failed project to build two towers onto the front of

St. Peter's Basilica The Papal Basilica of Saint Peter in the Vatican (), or simply St. Peter's Basilica (; ), is a church of the Italian High Renaissance located in Vatican City, an independent microstate enclaved within the city of Rome, Italy. It was initiall ...

. While this is certainly plausible, historians are unsure of the validity of Domenico's claims relating to his father's reasoning. Cracks had appeared in the facade due to the inability of the foundations to support the towers and Bernini's architectural expansion received the blame. What many fail to mention is that most of the blame lies with

Carlo Maderno Carlo Maderno or Maderna (1556 – 31 January 1629) was an Italian architect, born in today's Ticino, Switzerland, who is remembered as one of the fathers of Baroque architecture. His façades of Santa Susanna, St. Peter's Basilica, and Sant ...

, the previous architect who built weak foundations for the monumental task being requested, and Pope Urban VIII, who kept pressuring Bernini for heavier, more elaborate bell towers. During the difficult time after Urban's death, Bernini was able to find peace and serenity in his overwhelming confidence that one day he would be vindicated. So strong was this conviction that he created ''Truth Unveiled by Time'' to express this confidence in his eventual vindication. Despite this conviction, the sculpture of Father ''Time'' was never begun and the project remained incomplete. It has been suggested by historian Franco Mormando that Bernini's return to public favor after Innocent's death might have made the sculptural piece lose the emotional urgency it had previously possessed, which would make sense considering he had been reinstated to his previous place in the upper echelons of society.

Visual description

''Truth Unveiled by Time'' is a white marble sculpture that is 280 cm in height, which includes the 17 cm pedestal it rests upon. Seated on a boulder with dramatic, flowing drapes behind her, the maiden ''Truth'' holds a representation of the Sun in her right hand at shoulder level as she rests her left leg on the Earth. She gazes upward beyond the Sun with a look of peace and comfort, perhaps even joy. ''Truth'' has already been stripped of her garments. The strategically placed drapery of the statue is suggestive and not as blatant as truly profane scenes. Her bare chest and stomach are visible while her groin is covered by some of the flowing drapery. There is a sense of movement, emotion, and vigor in her being, and the cold marble appears to be as supple as real flesh. According to Bernini's biographer Baldinucci:

"His chisel was applied in such a way that one could believe it had been cutting wax instead of marble."

Provenance

Bernini began the preparatory work for ''Truth Unveiled by Time'' in 1645, during the critical period after the death of his main patron

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 the figure of ''Truth'' was largely complete by 1652. Despite never completing the figure of ''Time'', Bernini left the sculpture in his will in perpetuity to the first-born of the Bernini family; although in fact Bernini tried to sell the work to

Cardinal Mazarin Jules Mazarin (born Giulio Raimondo Mazzarino or Mazarini; 14 July 1602 – 9 March 1661), from 1641 known as Cardinal Mazarin, was an Italian Catholic prelate, diplomat and politician who served as the chief minister to the Kings of France Lou ...

of France. It remained in the family (displayed on a tilted stucco block during the 19th century) until 1924, when it was purchased by the Italian government and transferred to its current home on a plinth in room VI of the

Galleria Borghese The or Borghese Gallery is an art gallery in Rome, Italy, housed in the former Villa Borghese Pinciana. At the outset, the gallery building was integrated with its gardens, but nowadays the Villa Borghese gardens are considered a separate touri ...

.G Galleria Borghese 2
/ref> Its plinth there was originally tilted but it is now on a flat plinth after a recent restoration, leaving ''Truth'' more upright as it was originally displayed. Sometime in 1647 Bernini designed and began executing the larger-than-life-size marble group. The sculpture was referred to in a letter sent by the duke of Bracciano, Paolo Giordano II Orsini to Cardinal Mazzarino on July 6, 1647. After his death the sculpture was situated in Bernini’s home on Via della Mercede until 1852. Per Bernini's last will and testament, the statue was to remain in perpetual custody of his family, “because by seeing it, all my descendants will be reminded that truth is the most beautiful virtue in the world inasmuch as it is eventually revealed by time.” Subsequently the sculpture was placed in Palazzo Bernini on Via del Corso until 1924. After 1924, the sculpture was held in storage at the Galleria Borghese until it was acquired in 1958 by the Italian government.

Influences

The placement of a maiden on a boulder who holds a sun in the right hand while resting the left leg on the Earth is in accordance with the popular canonical iconography detailed by

Cesare Ripa Cesare Ripa (, Perugia – Rome) was an Italian Renaissance scholar and iconography, iconographer. Life Little is known about his life. The scant biographical information that exists derives from his one very successful work: the ''Iconologia ...

in his famous book ''

Iconologia Cesare Ripa (, Perugia – Rome) was an Italian Renaissance scholar and iconographer. Life Little is known about his life. The scant biographical information that exists derives from his one very successful work: the ''Iconologia''. He was bo ...

'' (Italian for Iconology). Many drawings for the planned sculptural group are known, and in the figure of ''Truth'' one can recognize similarities with

Correggio Antonio Allegri da Correggio (August 1489 – 5 March 1534), usually known as just Correggio (, also , , ), was an Italian Renaissance painter who was the foremost painter of the Parma school of the High Renaissance, who was responsible for som ...

's unfinished '' Allegory of Virtue'' which is housed in the

Galleria Doria Pamphilj The Galleria Doria Pamphilj (often Doria Pamphilj Gallery or Doria Pamphili Gallery in English) is a large private art collection housed in the Palazzo Doria Pamphilj in Rome, Italy, between Via del Corso and Via della Gatta. The principal entr ...

in Rome where Bernini might have seen it.G Galleria Borghese 2
/ref> Within traditional iconographical conventions, the specific positioning of the legs was also a means of communicating sexual messages to the viewer.

Artist's intent

In creating this work, Bernini intended to give visual representation to a familiar saying used to console victims of injustice: Fear not, for sooner or later time will reveal the truth. While Bernini was certainly not the first artist to touch on this subject matter, as the theme was already popular in literature and art, he managed to create an original interpretation beyond those previously made by others. The originality and source of distinction in Bernini's rendition is its literal nature – that is, making the action of unveiling the primary focus of representation. Where previous works of literature and art were more concerned with the subjects of ''Truth'' and ''Time,'' Bernini was more concerned with their actions and what that meant. Despite not completing the companion figure of Father ''Time'', we do know something of what Bernini had in mind for the finished composition thanks to a surviving preparatory drawing found in Leipzig and an artist's account in a diary. The completed work as envisioned by Bernini would have featured the old, winged figure of Father ''Time'' in the act of stripping clothing from the much younger figure of Lady ''Time'', who smiles on in delight as her naked truth is exposed for the world to see.

References

External links

Galleria Borghese 2
* {{Gian Lorenzo Bernini 1645 sculptures Marble sculptures in Italy Sculptures by Gian Lorenzo Bernini Sculptures of women in Italy Sun in art