LYCOS RETRIEVER 
Gian Lorenzo Bernini: Pope Paul
built 185 days ago
In contrast to his competitor Francesco Borromini, Bernini's affable character allowed him to maintain good relations with his patrons. A man of great faith, he attended mass daily and practiced contemporary religious exercises. His abbreviated caricatures of prominent figures, including Pope Innocent X, expose a lighter side of his personality and a witty sense of humor.
Source:
Chantelou, Paul Fréart de. Diary of the Cavaliere Bernini's Visit to France. Edited and with an introduction by Anthony Blunt, annotated by George C. Bauer, and translated by Margery Corbett. Princeton, 1985. Translation of Journal du voyage en France du Cavalier Bernin (1665).
Source:
The Pope's withdrawal of favour was crushingly demoralising for Bernini. One source has him taking to his bed, fasting almost to the point of death. In 1644, Urban VIII died and his successor, Innocent X, ascended the throne accompanied by a reputation for austerity. Both the men and the projects favoured by Urban came under frosty scrutiny. And nothing seemed more excessive than Bernini's surviving belltower.
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