Gian Lorenzo Bernini

Visual Arts Italian 1598 – 1680 102 quotes

The leading sculptor of the Baroque period, he was also a prominent architect, known for his dynamic and emotional works like 'Ecstasy of Saint Teresa'.

Quotes by Gian Lorenzo Bernini

The artist must be a man of the mind.

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I have always tried to educate myself.

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The artist must be a man of the heart.

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I have always tried to love and be loved.

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The artist must be a man of the soul.

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I have always tried to find my purpose in life.

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The artist must be a man of the light.

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I have always tried to bring joy to others.

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The artist must be a man of the truth.

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I have always tried to be authentic.

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The base is the most noble part of the statue, for it supports the whole.

Professional observation 1630

I am convinced that the best thing for a sculptor is to study nature.

Letter 1620

Sculpture is the art of revealing the soul through form.

Speech excerpt 1640

The artist must capture the instant of divine inspiration.

Personal reflection 1650

Beauty is the reflection of the divine in marble.

Famous saying 1615

To sculpt is to wrestle with stone until it yields the truth.

Professional observation 1635

The eye of the artist sees what others overlook.

Aphorism 1660

In architecture, harmony is the soul of the structure.

Key passage from work 1645

Passion animates the lifeless form.

Personal reflection 1625

The true artist serves the eternal, not the fleeting.

Letter 1670