Today, I visited the Borghese Gallery. Over a month ago, in the late hours of the night, I purchased a ticket, unintentionally selecting a guided tour option. Upon arrival, it turned out I was the only participant. Admitting my prior visit, our tour took a different route. While I’ve been photographing various beautiful objects for years, I don’t consider myself an art expert, and that’s unlikely to change. I might not have been the most engaged listener either. Nonetheless, this unique tour offered insights not readily available online.

In the photo below, you’ll see a small sculpture. It might not be a masterpiece, but considering it’s the work of a fifteen-year-old sculptor, Bernini, who learned from his father, it’s noteworthy. Gian Lorenzo Bernini (1598–1680) was an Italian sculptor, architect, and painter of the Baroque period. He played a crucial role in shaping the Baroque style and is renowned for his skill in creating dynamic, emotionally charged sculptures. There are many of them in the Galeria Borghese, but also in other places of Rome. One of the major works by him was the altar in St. Peters Basilica in Vatican.

A sculpture by 15 years old Gian Lorenzo Bernini, Galeria Borghese, Rome.