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Bust of Thomas Baker

Bust of Thomas Baker is a 1638 marble portrait sculpture created by the Italian artist Gian Lorenzo Bernini, with much of the bust probably executed by one of his pupils, likely Andrea Bolgi. It depicts Thomas Baker, who lived from 1606 to 1658 and was High Sheriff of Suffolk, with connections to the court of Charles I of England. The sculpture is now in the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, United Kingdom, which purchased it in 1921 for 1,485 guineas. The source also notes a possible indirect connection between Baker and another Bernini bust through the triple portrait of Charles I by Van Dyck.

Bust of Thomas Baker with curly hair, a mustache, and an elaborate lace collar.
Bust of Thomas Baker in marble, shown with voluminous curls and an ornate lace collar.
© · CC0
Marble bust of Thomas Baker with long wavy hair, a mustache, and an ornate lace collar.
Bust of Thomas Baker, a marble work by Gian Lorenzo Bernini.
June 2013 © · CC BY-SA 3.0
Marble bust of Thomas Baker with curly hair, mustache, and a pointed beard.
Bust of Thomas Baker in white marble, shown with elaborate lace collar details.
May 2013 © · GFDL 1.2

Identification

TitleBust of Thomas Baker
TypePortrait bust sculpture
Original-language titleBusto de Thomas Baker

Historical context

Decade1630s
Commission typePrivate commission
Century17th century
Date created1638

Creator

ArtistGian Lorenzo Bernini
Assistant / collaboratorA pupil of Bernini, probably Andrea Bolgi
Extent of assistant's contributionMost of the work was carried out by Bernini's assistant

Discovery and provenance

Commission typePrivate commission
Acquisition by museumBought by the Victoria and Albert Museum in 1921
Purchase price1,480 English guineas

Physical characteristics

MaterialMarble
MediumPortrait sculpture

Iconography and meaning

Subject depictedThomas Baker
Subject's roleHigh Sheriff of Suffolk in 1657
Subject's connection to Charles IClosely linked to the court of Charles I
Possible historical connectionThomas Baker may have brought the triple portrait of Charles I to Rome, which Bernini used as the model for his bust of Charles I
Related workBust of Charles I
Subject's lifespan1606–1658

History and restoration

Condition of related workThe bust of Charles I based on the Van Dyck triple portrait is now destroyed

Location and ownership

Current locationVictoria and Albert Museum, London, United Kingdom
Current owner/custodianVictoria and Albert Museum

Significance

Notable characteristicRepresents a relatively minor figure in Bernini's oeuvre