Monsignor Francesco Barberini

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The challenge to capture a figure who had passed away decades ago did not intimidate Bernini. Drawing from a painting, the soon-to-be renowned Baroque master brought to life the cherished uncle of his friend Matteo Barberini, who had just been elected Pope Urban VIII. Bernini selected a massive yet harmonious bust form, with the truncation below mirroring the curve of the slightly turning shoulders. Sunlight danced across Francesco's weathered face, particularly in the recesses of the sunken temples and beneath the luxuriant eyebrows. The sculptor's drill had created dark voids in the beard. Through movement, diverse textures, and manipulation of light, Bernini managed to breathe life into the image of a man he had never seen while alive.