Pope Paul V
2023 © Maxim Tabachnik
Sacred and Profane Love (detail)Aeneas, Anchises, and AscaniusMax aming Berninis and CaravaggiosApollo and DaphnePope Paul V BorghesePope Paul VMax Contemplates Bernini’s Pluto and ProserpinaSacred and Profane LoveApollo and DaphneVenus Blindfolding CupidThe Entombment (detail)Fireplace

Pope Paul VBernini

317
This bust (1617–23) carved from Carrara marble shows Pope Paul V with a solemn gaze and finely detailed vestments. Bernini's work demonstrates remarkable realism and captures the restrained dignity of papal authority. Created in the artist's twenties, it marks an early triumph in portrait sculpture, showcasing his skill in conveying both likeness and status.