Tomb of Pope Urban VIII 1647

Gian Lorenzo Bernini's Tomb of Pope Urban VIII, completed in 1647, is a masterful example of Baroque sculpture. The dynamic composition features a seated figure of the Pope, his arm raised in a gesture of blessing, above his sarcophagus. Two female figures symbolize Charity and Justice, their bodies contorted in dramatic poses, and a putto beneath the sarcophagus represents the Resurrection. The dramatic use of light and shadow, the complex composition, and the emotional intensity of the figures are hallmarks of Bernini's Baroque style.