Keats and Bernini

Fontana della Barcaccia, 1627 (Baroque) - Rome, Italy,
Pietro Bernini (son of Gian Lorenzo Bernini)

At the bottom of the Spanish Steps built to the Piazza di Spagna, Rome leading to the Egyptian obelisk and the Church of Trinita dei Monti on the Pincio Hill, where the 16th-century Villa Medici sits the Fontana della Barcaccia.  As Keats was terminally ill his doctor advised him to take a respite and Keats was said to have 'fallen under Rome's spell and would fall asleep at night outside listening to Bernini's fountain'.  It is of no surprise that one great artist inspired another nor is it a surprise that the fountain of the great Master Bernini's son brought peace and tranquility to Keats in his last days.  Both Pietro and Gian Lorenzo Bernini both were exceedingly talented sculptors and artists and Keats, well.... He can speak for himself.... still....


Bright star! Would I were steadfast as thou art –

Bright star! Would I were steadfast as thou art –

  Not in lone splendour hung aloft the night,

And watching, with eternal lids apart,

  Like Nature’s patient sleepless Eremite,

The moving waters at their priestlike task

  Of pure ablution round earth’s human shores,

Or gazing of the new soft fallen mask

  Of snow upon the mountain and the moors –

No- yet still steadfast, still unchangeable,

  Pillow’d upon my fail love’s ripening breast,

To feel forever it’s soft fall and swell,

  Awake forever in a sweet unrest,

Still, still to hear forever her tender-taken breath,

  And so live ever- or else swoon to death.

-Keats, 1884

Fontana della Barcaccia, 1627 (Baroque) - Rome, Italy,
Pietro Bernini (son of Gian Lorenzo Bernini)

Apollo and Daphne

Apollo, the Greek god of the sun and music, insulted the young Cupid for playing with his bow and arrows.  Apollo, who was a great warrior said to Cupid, ‘What have you to do with warlike weapons? leave them to the worthy…  Be content with your torch child and kindle up your flames, as you call them, where you will, but presume not to meddle with my weapons.’

Apollo and Daphne, 1622-25, Marble, Gian Lorenzo Bernini, Galleria Borghese, Rome, Italy

Young and arrogant Cupid chose two of his arrows; one gold to rouse love and one lead to spur hate.  Cupid shot the lead arrow into Daphne and the golden one through Apollo’s heart.  Apollo was imprisoned by his love for Daphne for eternity but in turn she was repulsed by the thought of Apollo.  Daphne became so full of contempt for all love that she preferred woodland sport to any lover at all and would flee into the woods to explore from potential suitors.   When Daphne’s father Peneus demanded she marry to give him grandchildren she pleaded to remain unmarried.  Apollo relentlessly pursued Daphne and Daphne continued to flee until Cupid interceded to aid Apollo.  Once Cupid helped Apollo, Daphne could no longer escape and she pleaded with her father Peneus to rescue her to change her so she no longer would be in danger.  Peneus turned her skin to bark, her hair as leaves, her arms became the branches, and she was able to stop running as her feet became the roots to the ground.

Apollo and Daphne, Cast Bronze, Ron Rodgers, Public Art, Fremont, California

Daphne was able to stop running, but Apollo never left her alone because even as a tree he embraced the branches, which moved away from him attempting to escape even then. Apollo took a vow to tend to her even in this form and promised that her leaves would decorate the heads of leaders as crowns and that her leaves were also to be depicted on weapons. Apollo utilized his powers of eternal youth and immortality to render her evergreen. This is the story of the Bay Laurel and the Laurel Wreath which sat/sits on the head of leaders and champions.

Sculpture, Apollo and Daphne, Bernini, 1622-24

Sculpture, Apollo and Daphne, Ron Rogers, Cast Bronze