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Tomb of Pope Alexander VII

The Tomb of Pope Alexander VII is the funeral monument of Pope Alexander VII Chigi (1599–1667), created by Gian Lorenzo Bernini between 1672 and 1678 with assistance from his pupils. It is located in the ambulatory of St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City, beyond the left transept and above a wooden door leading outside. The monument features the pope kneeling in prayer above a rich red marble drapery, surrounded by four female virtues in white marble: Charity, Truth, Justice, and Prudence. Below the drapery emerges a skeleton holding a gilded bronze hourglass, a powerful Baroque image of time and mortality. The work is considered one of the most spectacular examples of Roman Baroque sculpture.

Tomb of Pope Alexander VII with a praying figure, white marble allegorical statues, and a dramatic draped canopy above a doorway.
The Tomb of Pope Alexander VII features a praying figure, allegorical statues, and a dramatic marble drapery above the entrance.
© · CC BY 2.0
Tomb of Pope Alexander VII showing a kneeling figure above a flowing marble drapery and a skeletal figure with an hourglass and spear below, with white marble allegories at the base.
The Tomb of Pope Alexander VII by Bernini features a kneeling pope above a dramatic marble drapery and skeletal figure below.
August 2019 © · Public domain
Tomb of Pope Alexander VII with a kneeling marble figure, gilded canopy, and draped allegorical sculptures
The Tomb of Pope Alexander VII in St. Peter’s Basilica, showing Bernini’s dramatic marble and bronze composition.
August 2011 © · CC BY 2.0
Tomb of Pope Alexander VII with a seated figure at the top, draped statues below, and a skeleton emerging from the base holding an hourglass.
The Tomb of Pope Alexander VII in St. Peter’s Basilica, showing its seated figure, allegorical statues, and skeletal figure at the base.
© Rijksmuseum · CC0
Tomb of Pope Alexander VII with a kneeling papal figure, draped marble curtain, and allegorical statues in St. Peter’s Basilica
Detail of the Tomb of Pope Alexander VII in St. Peter’s Basilica, showing the dramatic Baroque marble figures and drapery.
© · Public domain

Identification

TitleTomb of Pope Alexander VII
Original Italian nameIl sepolcro di Alessandro VII
Typefunerary monument
SubjectPope Alexander VII Chigi (1599–1667)
Alternative titleMonument to Alexander VII

Historical context

Papal patron after the pope's deathCardinal Flavio Chigi coordinated and paid for the project
Historical significanceOne of the most important works planned by Alexander VII during his pontificate
Initial intended locationChoir of the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore
First mentioned9 August 1656
Commissioned during lifetimeYes
Commissioned byPope Alexander VII himself

Creator

DesignerGian Lorenzo Bernini
Extent of Bernini's executionDesigned and partially executed; according to documents, he probably did not work manually on the tomb, but supplied the design and models
Workshop collaboratorsGiuseppe Mazzuoli, Lazzaro Morelli, Giulio Cartari, Michele Maglia, and L. Balestri
Bernini's role in the pope's statueHe probably worked most intensely on the statue of the pope and likely finished Alexander's face
Bernini's age during the work81 years old
Significance in Bernini's careerHis last major work before his death in 1680

Discovery and provenance

Clay sketch of the kneeling popePreserved at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London
Last recorded payment to Bernini9 April 1672
Design drawings preservedThree drawings are known, but they are not considered true preparatory studies by Bernini
Clay sketch of CharityPreserved at the Academy of Fine Arts in Siena
Royal Library designInitial studio design preserved at the Royal Library of Windsor
Preliminary designs preservedSeveral earlier versions survive

History and restoration

Construction startDecember 1671
Completion date1678
Time from death to completionEleven years after the pope's death
Construction methodLife-size clay and wooden models were made
Later modificationTruth's nudity and Charity's breasts were covered by order of Pope Innocent XI with a painted white bronze piece
Workshop processThe work involved an unusually elaborate workshop process, with assistants handling casting, repairs, positioning, drilling screw holes, and execution under Bernini's close supervision; some could be replaced midway through the work

Location and ownership

Current locationSouth transept of St. Peter's Basilica, Vatican City
Placement detailsThe monument is placed at a site containing a door in the south transept, above the door
Door in the compositionThe door was incorporated into all three drawings and became an important compositional and symbolic passage to the afterlife

Physical characteristics

Truth attributesTruth has one foot resting on a globe representing England, and a thorn under the big toe on England is said to represent suffering caused by the expansion of Anglicanism
BozzettoA well-known terracotta bozzetto of the kneeling pope exists; according to Bruce Boucher, the head was modeled separately to find the correct viewing angle, and the bozzetto is close to the final solution
Death attributesDeath raises an hourglass
CompositionSix main figures in a multi-level composition
Death figureA figure of Death appears below Alexander
Virtues representedCharity, Truth, Prudence, and Justice
Main figure poseAlexander VII is shown kneeling in prayer at the top of the monument
Virtues layoutCharity is front left, Truth front right, Prudence back left, and Justice back right

Materials

Main materialsWhite marble, gilded bronze, Sicilian jasper, black marble
Drapery materialRed Sicilian jasper marble
Virtues materialWhite marble
Death figure materialGilded bronze
Hourglass materialGilded bronze
Architectural marble colorsGreen and black marbles
Plinth material/colorBlack marble

Appearance

Material contrastThe dark Sicilian jasper and bronze contrast sharply with the white marble figures, creating a more pure effect around Alexander and the virtues and dramatic emphasis around Death
Plinth meaningA sign of mourning for the pope
Sicilian jasper descriptionRich red tones with green streaks
Death draperyBillowing drapery of Sicilian jasper

Technique

Truth figure executionInitiated by Lazzaro Morelli and completed by Giulio Cartari
Charity executionCreated by Giuseppe Mazzuoli following Bernini's models
Bronze castingThe Death figure had to be cast in bronze and repaired after casting

Iconography and meaning

Death meaningDeath represents Time defeated by Truth and is associated with vanitas vanitatum and the passage of time
Truth symbolismTruth's foot on England refers to Alexander VII's efforts to curb the growth of Anglicanism
Interpretive hierarchy of virtuesJustice is guided by Truth, and Prudence is guided by Charity
Theological emphasisThe monument emphasizes Alexander VII as a spiritual leader through Charity and Truth rather than as a secular ruler through Prudence and Justice
Political contextTruth was especially important to Alexander VII in his final years after losing control over France to Louis XIV and failing to unite European countries against the Turks
Relation to Bernini's earlier workThe Truth is linked to Bernini's Unveiled Truth by Time and to the idea of Truth accompanied by Time
Possible sourceBernini is said to have taken the idea from Correggio's unfinished autograph sketch Allegory of Virtue (1525)
Visibility of the virtuesThe half-length Virtues are positioned above viewers' eye level and are therefore almost invisible

Significance

Stylistic characterizationAn especially spectacular example of Roman Baroque
Stylistic evaluationNoted for its multi-level composition and harmonious use of polychrome marbles
Howard Hibbard's view of the virtuesHe called the Virtues "uncomfortable afterthoughts"