Pluto and Proserpina

Why are the details the devil? Because the details can really arouse people’s desires. Especially if you meet an artistic genius, then basically you will only be conquered. This is the work of the Italian sculptor Bernini in 1621. It shows the scene where Pluto, the king of Hades, forcibly married Proserpina, the daughter of Demeter, as his wife. Objectively speaking, this Roman myth has no meaning worthy of our praise in terms of ideology, religion, and politics. It is nothing more than showing the most primitive impulse between men and women. But the splendor of its body details is absolutely the pinnacle in the history of art. The artist uses the most direct way to present the most real beauty of the human body to the world. And don’t forget, Bernini was only 23 years old this year! As a representative of Baroque art, the long-lived and productive Bernini almost ruled the “sculpture world” in the 17th century. But unlike the calm and classical beauty of previous Renaissance art, Bernini is more willing to realize a strong sense of movement. Especially the distortion and conflict of the body. This will make you forget that what you are looking at is just a stone. And his exquisite portrayal of the details of the body makes the sculpture out of the fierceness of the surface, adding a fascinating tension of life. Understanding the unity of opposites between boldness and gracefulness, one can truly understand the essence of the so-called Baroque art.

And don’t forget, Bernini was only 23 years old this year! As a representative of Baroque art, the long-lived and productive Bernini almost ruled the “sculpture world” in the 17th century.