Bernini's Biographies

“Although there is more biographical writing on the incomparable Gian Lorenzo Bernini than on any other early modern artist, including Michelangelo), the investigation of these writings remains surprisingly incomplete. This fascinating and highly original book is therefore a welcome addition to the literature, for it both consolidates our present understanding of these biographies, which can be traced to Bernini himself, and raises important questions about these writings for future consideration. Bernini’s Biographies will therefore be of great interest to scholars of art history, literature, and the social history of art alike.” —Paul Barolsky, University of Virginia

“In addition to bringing together various methodologies to bear upon the study of Bernini’s vite, this work also seeks to unravel the Gordian knot of the authorship of the biographies. . . . Taken as a whole, this collection of essays provides a series of departure points for future studies in the history of Bernini’s biographies, the life of Bernini himself, and artistic biography in general. . . . Despite the seeming contradiction between engaging closely with the history and genesis of Bernini’s biographies while simultaneously interrogating them from various literary, historical, and philological viewpoints, these essays are an immensely useful addition to the field.” —Kristin A. Triff, Renaissance Quarterly