Kenseth, Joy (1981). "Bernini's Borghese Sculptures: Another View". The Art Bulletin. 63 (2): 191–210. doi: 10.2307/3050112. JSTOR 3050112– via JSTOR. This painting on a large wooden panel is entitled The Abduction of Proserpine. It was painted in 1570, and spent most of its life residing in the Villa Salviati after being commissioned by the Salviati family. [3] Rembrandt [ edit ]

As part of a set of oil studies intended to be used for painting the ceiling frescoes in the Palazzo Medici Riccardi in Florence, the Mythological Scene with the Rape of Proserpine was created with the intention of being presented to Marquess Francesco Riccardi for approval before being painted in the palace. Currently, ten of the twelve oil studies created between 1682 and 1685 reside in the National Gallery. [6] Other Paintings [ edit ] It would have been a very high-status tomb,” said Higgs. “There are other statues, most of which are still in Libya, in museums. This I personally think is one of the best in terms of preservation and carving quality.” From the 2nd century BC onwards Greece was gradually conquered by the Romans until their eventual dominance in 31 BC and the fall of the Ptolemaic Kingdom. During his career Bernini had no shortage of commissions, much to the annoyance of other artists and imitators. He was one of the most admired and sought-after of artists, with the highest of reputations. Italian and French contemporaries praised the artist with detailed biographies, sure of the genius in their midst. The Romans first heard of her from the Aeolian and Dorian cities of Magna Graecia, who used the dialectal variant Proserpinē ( Προσερπίνη). Hence, in Roman mythology she was called Proserpina, a name erroneously derived by the Romans from proserpere, "to shoot forth" [121] and as such became an emblematic figure of the Renaissance. [122] In 205BC, Rome officially identified Proserpina with the local Italic goddess Libera, who, along with Liber, were closely associated with the Roman grain goddess Ceres (considered equivalent to the Greek Demeter). The Roman author Gaius Julius Hyginus also considered Proserpina equivalent to the Cretan goddess Ariadne, who was the bride of Liber's Greek equivalent, Dionysus. [123] [124] In Magna Graecia [ edit ] Pinax of Persephone and Hades from Locri. Reggio Calabria, National Museum of Magna Graecia.

Thanks to the finds that have been retrieved and to the studies carried on, it has been possible to date its use to a period between the 7th centuryBC and the 3rd centuryBC. Given the grim nature of this story, it comes as no surprise that Bernini's sculpture has caused a stir over the last few centuries. Shortly after its completion, Bernini's depiction of such an unsavory scene was mostly met with praise (the artist's son and biographer called it “an amazing contrast of tenderness and cruelty”), but celebrating a scene depicting a violent abduction can be troublesome in today's context. In his 1985 book on Greek Religion, Walter Burkert claimed that Persephone is an old chthonic deity of the agricultural communities, who received the souls of the dead into the earth, and acquired powers over the fertility of the soil, over which she reigned. The earliest depiction of a goddess Burkert claims may be identified with Persephone growing out of the ground, is on a plate from the Old-Palace period in Phaistos. According to Burkert, the figure looks like a vegetable because she has snake lines on other side of her. On either side of the vegetable person there is a dancing girl. [99] A similar representation, where the goddess appears to come down from the sky, is depicted on the Minoan ring of Isopata.

The doll figure probably represents a keepsake taken into the afterlife, while the bracelets showing snakes are associated with death and rebirth. Bernini, Domenico (2011) [1713]. The Life of Giano Lorenzo Bernini. University Park: Pennsylvania State University Press. ISBN 9780271037486.

Bibliography

Avery, Charles (1997). Bernini: Genius of the Baroque. London: Thames and Hudson. ISBN 9780500286333. Whether it’s the mythical references or the artistic mastery, the Persephone statue is truly a testament to human creativity and imagination. Its presence in various museums and public spaces serves as a reminder of the rich cultural heritage we have inherited.