Bust of Cardinal Scipione Borghese

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Bernini, Bust of Cardinal Scipione Borghese, 1632

Statues cannot talk. Paintings cannot move. But while painters have access to multiple brushstrokes, color palates, and techniques, sculptors have one block, one color, and one chance. Sculpture cannot be salvaged. After his painting hiatus, Bernini took to revolutionizing sculptures. Instead of the stoic, one-tone depictions previously seen in busts, Bernini sculpts the Cardinal in action.

With a head tilted to the side, and a mouth just about to open, one can sense the impending action. The bust becomes conversational as Bernini involves the audience in the scene. Drapery on the robes of the Cardinal indicate motion, and propel his figure to the side. Though not correct, the folds in his garment represent a revolution in sculpture. Also worth noting is the subject’s regality. Bernini conveys confidence and self-assurance through sculpture, previously unseen.

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