Medical Aspects of Bernini's Statue of Dr. Gabriele Fonseca (1586? - 1668)

Title
Medical Aspects of Bernini's Statue of Dr. Gabriele Fonseca (1586? - 1668)
Publication Date
2024-01
Author(s)
Albury, W Randall
( author )
OrcID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7928-7109
Email: walbury2@une.edu.au
UNE Id une-id:walbury2
Weisz, George M
Type of document
Journal Article
Language
en
Entity Type
Publication
Publisher
Israel Medical Association
Place of publication
Ramat Gan, Israel
UNE publication id
une:1959.11/57631
Abstract

A dramatic portrait bust of the physician Gabriele da Fonseca (1586? to 1668) at prayer is considered by art historians to be one of the finest late works of Gian Lorenzo Bernini (1598–1680), the preeminent sculptor of 17th century Rome. This statue is of medical as well as artistic interest. First, Fonseca is shown wearing his physician's robe, thus celebrating his successful career as a leading medical figure in Rome, holding both Papal and university appointments at the highest level. In addition, the positioning of the statue in a special chapel designed by Bernini highlights Fonseca's role as an influential participant in the introduction of quinine into Europe as a cure for malaria. Last, an examination of the statue's hands identifies a number of pathologies and anatomical anomalies that raise interesting questions, regrettably unanswerable given the information presently available, concerning Fonseca's illnesses and cause of death.

Link
Citation
Israel Medical Association Journal, 26(1), p. 62-66
ISSN
2309-8597
1565-1088
Start page
62
End page
66

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