The Rape of Proserpina

The work is a white marble sculpture in Galleria Borghese in Rome showing Pluto holding Proserpina against her will. His fingers press visibly into her skin as she attempts to break free and her body twists away from him.

Cardinal Scipione Borghese commissioned Gian Lorenzo Bernini for the work in 1621 when the sculptor was only 23 years old. He completed it within a year for a sum of 450 Roman scudi.

The scene follows Roman mythology showing Pluto seizing Proserpina during her abduction to the underworld. Visitors notice Cerberus at their feet, the three-headed guardian dog who watches over the realm of the dead.

The work stands in a separate room and allows visitors to view it from all sides. Those who look closely notice the different surface textures and the play of light and shadow in the marble.

Bernini carved the marble so finely that Pluto's fingers appear to actually indent Proserpina's skin. This illusion of soft flesh from hard stone is considered one of the most technically demanding elements of Baroque sculpture.

Inception: 1624

Creator: Gian Lorenzo Bernini

Height: 255 cm

Made from material: Marbre blanc

GPS coordinates: 41.91400,12.49200

Latest update: December 4, 2025 14:20