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Bust of Cardinal Richelieu

The Bust of Cardinal Richelieu is a marble sculpture by the Italian artist Gian Lorenzo Bernini, now in the Louvre in Paris. Cardinal Richelieu had hoped to commission Bernini to create a full-length sculpture through Jules Mazarin and the French ambassador in Rome, François Annibal d’Estrées, but Pope Urban VIII did not allow it. As a result, Bernini made a bust instead, working from images of Richelieu sent to Rome from France between November 1640 and January 1641. Once completed, the bust was transported to Paris. Although it arrived in August 1640, Richelieu was unhappy with the work and soon commissioned another bust by Jean Warin.

Marble bust of Cardinal Richelieu with wavy hair, mustache, and pointed goatee.
Marble bust of Cardinal Richelieu, showing his wavy hair, mustache, and pointed goatee.
October 2007 © · CC BY-SA 2.0 fr
White marble bust of Cardinal Richelieu with wavy hair, mustache, and goatee.
Bust of Cardinal Richelieu in white marble, shown against a dark background.
October 2007 © · CC BY-SA 2.0 fr
White marble bust of Cardinal Richelieu with a mustache, pointed goatee, and wavy shoulder-length hair.
Bust of Cardinal Richelieu in white marble, shown in close-up at the Louvre Museum.
October 2007 © · CC BY-SA 2.0 fr
Bust of Cardinal Richelieu in white marble, with curly hair, a mustache, and a pointed beard.
White marble bust of Cardinal Richelieu, shown in profile with detailed clerical features.
October 2007 © · CC BY-SA 2.0 fr
Bust of Cardinal Richelieu in white marble, showing curly hair, a mustache, a pointed beard, and a draped cape with a hanging cross medallion.
Bust of Cardinal Richelieu by Bernini, shown in white marble with a draped cape and cross medallion.
May 2010 © · CC BY 2.0

Identification

TitleBust of Cardinal Richelieu
Original Italian titleIl Busto del Cardinale Richelieu
TypeBust
Original French titleLe buste du cardinal de Richelieu

Creator

ArtistGian Lorenzo Bernini (Le Bernin)
Artist nationalityItalian
Artist lifespan1598–1680

Historical context

Intended formFull-length portrait statue
Reason it became a bustPope Urban VIII disapproved of the full-length statue and ordered Bernini to make only a bust
Negotiations handled byCardinal Mazarin and Marshal François-Annibal d'Estrées, French ambassador to Rome
Approvals required fromCardinal Barberini and Pope Urban VIII
Commissioned year1640
Commissioned byCardinal Richelieu
Subject roleFirst minister of Louis XIII of France
SubjectCardinal Armand Jean du Plessis de Richelieu

Discovery and provenance

Creation basisImages of Cardinal Richelieu sent from France to Rome
Production placeRome

History and restoration

Date createdNovember 1640 to mid-January 1641
Transported toParis
Arrival in ParisAugust 1641
ReceptionJudged unsuccessful in Paris; considered not sufficiently lifelike or true to Richelieu's features
Subsequent related commissionRichelieu later commissioned another bust from Jean Warin

Physical characteristics

MaterialWhite marble
AppearanceFinely and carefully carved, especially in the clothing and the face

Appearance

Facial expressionNoble air

Significance

Historical context / traditionPart of a long tradition of busts of famous figures