Art Fun Facts
Second edition: Rome, an artistic battlefield
Being Italian means having the huge opportunity to visit at least once in life cities like Florence, Venice, Naples, Milan and obviously Rome, the capital city of our country. It is funny how we walk around these cities, visiting art masterpieces, without thinking about that in the past there were people fighting between each other in order to be the person in charge of a certain statue, fountain, monument, painting, etc. that nowadays is totally embedded in one of our cities full of history and art.
For instance, once upon a time Rome was a kind of battlefield… During the baroque era, two architects were literally fighting between each other to getting assigned certain artworks, which are now real points of interest in the eternal city.
Perhaps, without Gian Lorenzo Bernini’s and Francesco Borromini’s rivalry Rome’s architectural landscape would have been different from the one we are used to seeing nowadays. Bernini was an incredible sculptor and architect, but he was even a great painter, known for his expressive art and dramatic designs. His works, such as the “Fontana della Barcaccia”, “Ecstasy of Saint Teresa” and all his various sculptures exhibited at the Borghese Gallery, demonstrate how talented he was at delivering emotional pathos to viewers through his statues. If you will ever have the chance in life to visit Galleria Borghese, take 2 minutes to look at each statue of Bernini and just stare at it; I promise you that even if you hate art, each statue will make you feel something. Bernini’s charm allowed him to build useful connections with influential patrons of that time, including Pope Urban VIII.
Meanwhile, Francesco Borromini was considered a real architectural genius, even if he was often overshadowed by his rival. Borromini indeed, was highly appreciated for his complex geometrical designs and innovative use of space. In Rome we can see different masterpieces from these artists; among all of them are the “San Carlo alle Quattro Fontane” and “Sant’Ivo alla Sapienza” churches. The rivalry was a battle of ideologies and artistic philosophies: Bernini’s style was characterized by majesty and drama, with a focus on detail and decorative elements; on the other hand, Borromini pursued a more conservative approach, focusing on form harmony and designs with almost mathematical accuracy.
This rivalry reached its peak in the mid-17th century, when Pope Innocent X, from the powerful Pamphili family, decided to commission a grand fountain for Piazza Navona, which was adjacent to his family palace. This project was not just an artistic endeavor but also a display of the Pope’s power and the family’s prestige. Bernini, already a favored artist of the papacy, was initially not considered for this project due to his association with the previous Pope, Urban VIII of the Barberini family. It was Borromini, with his innovative architectural style, who seemed the likely candidate.
However, in a dramatic turn of events, Bernini, known for his ingenuity and charm, managed to win the Pope’s favor. Legend has it that Bernini created a small model of the proposed fountain and placed it in a location where it would surely catch the Pope’s attention during his daily walks. His plan worked. Impressed by the design, Pope Innocent X awarded the commission to Bernini instead of Borromini.
You may not recognize the artist masterpiece by its name, but “The Fountain of the Four Rivers” is something you must have seen if you have been to Rome at least once in your life. It is a magnificent representation of four major rivers from different continents: the Nile, Ganges, Danube and Rio de la Plata, each of them symbolizing a part of the world known to the Romans. The sculptures are impressive, each of them personifying a river in dramatic and expressive forms, a distinguishing feature of Bernini’s style.
According to a popular legend, the statue of Rio de la Plata is raising its hand to defense himself against the imminent fall of the façade of “Sant’Agnese in Agone” church, built by Borromini exactly in front of Bernini’s fountain. Whereas, the statue of the Nile has its face covered, possibly to avoid the view of the same Borromini’s church. Even if these interpretations are probably unfounded, they depict perfectly how deep-rooted the hostility between these two artists was.
Moreover, the competition between Bernini and Borromini was not just professional but deeply personal, in fact, reports of that time tell us that their competition was characterized by strong envy, harsh arguments and a vivid desire to outdo one another.
However, this rivalry strongly motivated these two creative minds, driving them to innovate and succeed in their various projects. Today, as we walk through the streets of Rome, we can see the legacy of these two incredible artists. Bernini and Borromini’s story is more than just one of competitiveness; it is also about how rivalry may foster creativity and excellence in art.
