The artwork, “Constantine the Great,” created by Gian Lorenzo Bernini, is a marble sculpture representative of the Baroque art movement. This masterpiece resides in the Scala Regia, Vatican. Bernini’s work epitomizes the grandeur and movement characteristic of Baroque sculpture.
The marble sculpture captures the dramatic moment of Emperor Constantine the Great on horseback, as he gazes upwards in an expression of divine revelation. The horse is depicted rearing, adding to the dynamic and vigorous energy of the composition. The folds of Constantine’s cloak, rendered with exquisite detail, and the majestic, ornate drapery in the background, contribute to the opulence and grandeur that Bernini masterfully conveys in this work. The attention to anatomical precision, the interplay of light and shadow, and the overall sense of movement and drama vividly bring the scene to life, marking it as a quintessential example of Baroque artistry.