Tomb of Countess Matilda of Tuscany
| Tomb of Countess Matilda of Tuscany | |
|---|---|
 Tomb of Countess Matilda of Tuscany in 2013 | |
| Artist | Gian Lorenzo Bernini |
| Year | 1633–1644 |
| Catalogue | 33 |
| Type | Sculpture |
| Location | St. Peter's Basilica, Rome |
| Preceded by | Two Busts of Cardinal Scipione Borghese |
| Followed by | Pasce Oves Meas |
The Tomb of Countess Matilda of Tuscany is a large sculptural memorial designed by the Italian artist Gianlorenzo Bernini and executed by Bernini and various other sculptors.
History
[edit]The sculpture was commissioned by Pope Urban VIII from Bernini in 1633 and was destined for St. Peter's, Rome, where it still sits now.[1] The sculpture took a decade to create, with its final parts completed in 1644.[2] The sculpture commemorates Matilda of Canossa (1046–1115) as a defender of the church throughout the eleventh and twelfth centuries against the forces of the Holy Roman Emperor. Matilda had been buried in the Abbey of San Benedetto di Polirone in Mantua in the twelfth century,[3] but Pope Urban negotiated for her remains to be transported to Rome. It is speculated that this was to celebrate Pope Urban's roots in Tuscany as well as Matilda's support for the pope.[4]
The full sculpture has a base of a sarcophagus carved with the Submission of the emperor Henry IV to Pope Gregory VII at Canossa Castle, supported by two cherubs, topped by a statue of Matilda holding the keys of St Peter and the papal crown in her left arm and a sword in her right hand.[5][6] The historical event commemorated is known variously as the Road to Canossa, the Humiliation of Canossa (Italian: L'umiliazione di Canossa), or the Walk to Canossa (German: Gang nach Canossa/Kanossa). It was the journey taken by the Holy Roman Emperor Henry IV to Canossa Castle in 1077, and the ritual submission he was made to undertake there to Pope Gregory VII, seeking absolution and the revocation of his excommunication by the Pope. The castle was owned by Matilda of Tuscany, who was hosting Pope Gregory VII.[7]
Harvard Museums have a bronze statuette which was cast from Bernini's clay model for this sculpture. This statue is likely to have been intended as a model and possibly as a present for the pope as it is well finished. On the back of the statue are Bernini's tool marks which indicate that the design was always intended to be in a niche at Saint Peters.[4] The Bode Museum in Berlin also holds a model (see image below).
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ Wittkower, Rudolf (1997). Bernini: the sculptor of the Roman Baroque (4th ed.). London: Phaidon Press. ISBN 978-0-7148-3715-4.
- ^ Wittkower 1997, pp. 254–255.
- ^ "Matilda of Tuscany". Order of Medieval Women. Retrieved 2025-04-13.
- ^ a b Harvard. "Countess Matilda of Tuscany | Harvard Art Museums". harvardartmuseums.org. Retrieved 2025-03-27.
- ^ Bernini, Gian Lorenzo. "Tomb of Countess Matilda of Tuscany". World History Encyclopedia. Retrieved 2025-04-13.
- ^ "St Peter's - Monument to Matilda of Canossa". stpetersbasilica.info. Retrieved 2025-04-13.
- ^ Medievalists.net (2017-08-04). "The Walk to Canossa: The Tale of an Emperor and a Pope". Medievalists.net. Retrieved 2025-04-13.
Further reading
[edit]- Baldinucci, Filippo (2006) [1682]. The Life of Bernini. University Park: Pennsylvania State University Press. ISBN 9780271730769.
- Bernini, Domenico (2011) [1713]. The Life of Giano Lorenzo Bernini. University Park: Pennsylvania State University Press. ISBN 9780271037486.
- Mormando, Franco (2011). Bernini: His Life and His Rome. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. ISBN 9780226538525.
External links
[edit]
Media related to Monument to Matilda of Tuscany by Gian Lorenzo Bernini at Wikimedia Commons
