6The Rape Of Proserpina By Bernini (Room IV)

This really shows Bernini’s engineering marvel. Designed for Borghese’s largest entertaining room and the attention of his guests, the statue features a violent twisting scene of Pluto coming to claim his wife Proserpina. It was completed around 1622, a few years after the last statue. Today, Bernini’s most famed statue in the gallery is Apollo and Daphne, and for good reason. But in the 17th century, this was undoubtedly the prize of Borghese’s collection.

The story is that Pluto, the god of the dead and underworld, came to abduct Proserpina, goddess of agriculture and daughter of Jupiter, the god of gods, while she was picking flowers one afternoon. Out of sadness, Proserpina stopped making the world bloom and all things died. Jupiter intervened and made a deal with Pluto. Proserpina would spend half the year with Pluto and half the year above ground. In this incredible story, we see how early people struggled with the idea of the seasons and how to explain them. A story of gods makes it easier to digest. The statue behind it is phenomenal and was met with rave reviews upon its completion. An incredibly violent twisting action shows Pluto in all his strength taking Proserpina from the world. Make sure you look for three things. First, Pluto’s fingers gripping into Proserpina’s thighs (above). You get the feeling and texture of our legs and how they differ from Pluto’s hand. His fingers grip into what we recognize as the thigh of a woman. It is all obviously an illusion by the master, Bernini, because they are literally cut from the same stone. Also, look for the sweat dripping from Pluto’s back. No, it’s not a watermark or stain—it is Bernini giving life to stone. Finally, look for light shining through the cloak of Proserpina. Bernini sanded it down so thin it is almost transparent. Incredible!

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