Close by in the Fogg Museum in Harvard Square, art enthusiasts are lucky enough to have the chance to visit an ongoing exhibition of a selection of sculptures by Gian Lorenzo Bernini. This Baroque artist was a master of his craft and era, justly famed in his time as well as today. Just as Caravaggio's paintings are plunged into a tangible darkness brought to life by illuminating splashes of dramatic light, Bernini's sculptures create intricate patterns of light and shade in their crevices and undulations. They are irresistible explorations of movement and power that draw the viewer in to a push and pull of spectator and spectacle.
This show is composed largely of Bernini's maquettes. A maquette is the sculptural equivalent of a sketch, a loose plan, small in scale, for a larger, finished piece. Many of the pieces shown here are plans for sculptures as architectural elements, decorating St. Peter's Basilica in Rome, among other cathedrals and tombs.
Bernini worked closely with his workshop to fulfill the full-scale realizations commissioned for these buildings. The "sketches in clay," as the exhibition is titled, shown here give us a far more personal and intimate view of Bernini's hand and process in his masterpieces. Despite the heavy influence of the workshop in the final pieces, most of the maquettes shown here are attributed solely to Bernini and are the product of his hand alone. The fact that we get a glimpse into the master's creative process makes this show that much more astounding.
The presentation of the sculptures here makes it easy to follow the progression from maquette to maquette. Many cases in the gallery contain two or more stages of one sculpture for a specific project. Three "Kneeling Angel" (c. 1674-75) maquettes make up one display, so it's easy to see where Bernini has twisted the pose a bit more or exaggerated the flow of a figure's robe. This is a fantastically unique opportunity to see what work goes into the final version of each piece. Where the final works are immaculate and divine, these sculptures are charmingly rough and improvisational. They show the artist asking questions, pushing and pulling at his material and subject to achieve the perfection of the end result.
One of the most striking pieces here is a maquette for "Angel Holding the Superscription" (1667-69). Surrounding it are previous attempts at the subject, showing a more staid pose and less dramatic drapery. The last version, in particular, is awe-inspiring. The angel has been unbridled, legs loose, a knee stretching out of the cloth of her robe, feet seeming to lift off of the ground. Bernini captures the dynamism of the cloth in flowing striations in the clay, dramatic folds and swirls in all directions. This is in the best traditions of the Baroque interest in movement and action. Though anchored firmly to its base the angel seems to fly, tossed by unseen winds and passions.
Several pieces by artists other than Bernini have been included in the exhibition as foils for his personal work. Two classical Greek sculptures are shown, but standing next to Bernini's they look as stiff as the rock they came from. It makes the viewer stop and appreciate just how much life, violence and action is contained within Bernini's work. The maquettes seem to vibrate with suppressed motion, reaching into space and gesturing with as much strength as the artist could possibly instill into the clay.
An interesting comparison is drawn with a single abstract piece by Gerhard Richter, a contemporary German painter. His is a small painting in earth tones such as browns and yellows. Its lines and heavy brushstrokes bring emphasis to the effects of mark-making tools. The same holds true in Bernini's sketches: we see every mark of his fingernail and wedging and scooping tools. His mastery of the medium of clay is apparent in every piece.
Walking into the exhibition, the viewer is presented with the outstretched arm of Saint Longinus, muscles bulging, graceful yet powerful. The arm ends in a clenched fist, a careful yet simplified study of tension. This is what Bernini's work is all about: power, gesture and the incredible expressive quality of clay. Bernini's "Sketches in Clay" is an ongoing exhibition, so there's no excuse to miss it.
