Description and history St. Peter's Baldachin

the old solomonic columns mounted above balcony (upper right background, against wall)

the bronze , gilded baldachin first of bernini s works combine sculpture , architecture , represents important development in baroque church interior design , furnishing. canopy rests upon 4 helical columns each of stands on high marble plinth. columns support cornice curves inwards in middle of each side. above this, 4 twice life size angels stand @ corners behind whom 4 large volutes rise second smaller cornice in turn supports gilded cross on sphere, symbol of world redeemed christianity.

the 4 columns 20 metres or 66 feet high. base , capital cast separately , shaft of each column cast in 3 sections. helical form derived smaller marble helical columns once thought have been brought rome emperor constantine solomon s temple in jerusalem , used in old saint peter s basilica (see article solomonic column). cornice hangs bronze semblance of scalloped , tasselled border typically trimmed papal baldacchino. structure decorated detailed motifs including heraldic emblems of barberini family (urban viii born maffeo barberini) such bees , laurel leaves. underside of canopy , directly above officiating pope radiant sun – emblem of barberini – within holy spirit.

the view beneath baldachin, showing holy spirit within radiant sunburst.

the source of bronze make structure issue of contemporary controversy believed have been taken roof or portico ceiling of ancient roman pantheon, though urban s accounts ninety percent of bronze pantheon used cannon, , bronze baldachin came venice. well-known satirical lampoon left attached ancient ‘speaking’ statue of pasquino on corner of piazza navona, said: quod non fecerunt barbari, fecerunt barberini or ‘what barbarians did not do, barberini did’.

at stage in careers, , before bitter rivalry between 2 ensued, bernini worked in collaboration francesco borromini made drawings of structure , may have contributed design. various other artistic colleagues involved including father pietro bernini, brother luigi bernini, stefano maderno, françois duquesnoy, andrea bolgi , giuliano finelli contributed sculptural decoration.

there remained issue bernini not resolve until later in career. in latin cross church, high altar should placed in chancel @ end of longitudinal axis , yet in st. peter s located in centre of crossing. bernini sought solution whereby high altar above tomb of first pope of catholic church reconciled tradition. design cathedra petri or chair of saint peter (1657–66) @ apsidal end of chancel, bernini completed visual concetto or design idea; congregation had perspectivised view down nave image framed baldachin compressed distance between crossing , chair of saint peter in chancel, reconciling prince of apostles tomb, implied presence on chair , legitimate successor officiating @ ceremonies.

the plinths , barberini coats of arms

the coat of arms of house of barberini.

four marble plinths form basis of columns support baldachin. 2 outer sides of each plinth decorated barberini family s coat of arms. series of eight, identical coats of arms forms narrative has attracted on centuries interest of writers , art historians.

the coat of arms represents 3 bees of barberini family. each shield enclosed woman s head @ top , head of satyr @ bottom. papal tiara crossed keys surmounts shield. shields identical, – if examined 1 after starting left-hand front plinth – reveal dramatic changes in expression on female face. coat of arms itself, flat on first plinth, undergoes noticeable deformation, progressively bulging sixth shield , flattening again on last 2 shields. above eighth shield, female face replaced head of winged child or putto. allegory behind coats of arms unanimously interpreted representing various stages of childbirth. witkowski writes:

the scene begins on face of left-hand front plinth; woman s face begins contract; on second , following plinths features pass through series of increasingly violent convulsions. simultaneously, hair becomes increasingly dishevelled; eyes, @ first express bearable degree of suffering, take on haggard look; mouth, closed @ first, opens, screams piercing realism. ... finally, comes delivery: belly subsides , mother s head disappears, give way cherubic baby s head curly hair, smiling beneath unchanging pontifical insignia.

several explanations have been put forward unusually explicit allegory displayed in sacred place of roman catholic christianity (the burial place of saint peter). scholars favor symbolic explanation, suggesting bernini intended represent labor of papacy , of earthly church through allegory of woman s pregnancy. more popular tradition tells story of complicated pregnancy of niece of urban viii s , of vow dedicate altar in st. peter s successful delivery. third tradition explains allegory bernini s revenge against pope s decision disavow child illegally born nephew taddeo barberini , sister of 1 of bernini s pupils.

the childbirth sequence in bernini s plinths praised, among others, director sergei eisenstein, in piece titled montage , architecture written in late 1930s describes 1 of spectacular compositions of great master bernini. , coats of arms 8 shots, 8 montage sequences of whole montage scenario.

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