1665. Louis XIV is the arbiter of Europe. In the service of the popes, Gian Lorenzo Bernini, known as Le Bernin, was the most illustrious artist of his time. After intense negotiations, Le Bernin left Rome for Paris, where he was welcomed like a prince and stayed from June 2 to October 20.

Having come to build the cour Carrée in the Louvre, Le Bernin was also commissioned by the king to create a marble portrait of himself. The artist set to work with passion. The studio became a showcase for the Court, while the posing sessions brought together the glorious young monarch and the sculptor at the height of his powers. The bust was their joint work: Bernini considered it his best portrait, and Louis XIV always kept it close to him, in the Louvre and then at Versailles.

Dedicated to Le Bernin’s bust of Louis XIV, this book traces the genesis and reception of this absolute masterpiece of Baroque art, the fruit of genius and majesty.

Dimensions: 24 x 28 cm

Number of pages: 158

58 illustrations

Publication date: June 16, 2025

French