The author

The initials “G G” on the edge of the medallion have been interpreted by Prof. Andrea Bacchi as the signature of Giuseppe Giorgetti, a sculptor active in Rome in the second half of the 17th century and closely tied to Bernini’s circle. His artistic profile has been reconstructed primarily thanks to the studies of Jennifer Montagu, who highlighted his long service to Cardinal Francesco Barberini and his role in the Roman artistic scene of the period.

Giuseppe was Antonio Giorgetti’s brother, who was also a sculptor. After Antonio’s death in 1669, Giuseppe continued running the workshop, maintaining a privileged relationship with the Berninesque tradition. His training and career developed in an environment where Bernini’s sculpture was a primary benchmark. At the same time, his oeuvre demonstrates the complexity of the Roman 17th-century art scene, where diverse influences and artistic languages coexisted.

A significant event dates to 1668, when Giuseppe collaborated with his brother Antonio on the Angel with the Sponge for Ponte Sant’Angelo. The work was part of the major project directed by Bernini, yet it displayed traits linked to the tradition of Alessandro Algardi, particularly in the rendering of the face. This interplay of references reflects the richness of the milieu in which Giorgetti trained and worked.

The connection to Bernini became even more evident in 1670, when Giuseppe produced a copy of the bust of Maria Barberina Duglioli for her tomb in the Certosa of Bologna. A few years later, in 1679, he worked alongside Lorenzo Ottoni on the restoration of the famous Barberini Faun, an intervention in which Bernini's style played an important role.

Among Giorgetti's most significant works is the Recumbent Saint Sebastian, created for Cardinal Francesco Barberini’s chapel in the Basilica of San Sebastiano outside the walls and completed in 1672. The sculpture, depicting the saint lying down after his martyrdom, fits into the tradition of large recumbent figures in Roman sculpture while showing meticulous attention to material texture and emotional intensity. The quality of the piece was such that, in the 18th century, it was even attributed to Bernini himself.

Another major commission was the Statue of Carlo Barberini in the family chapel at Sant’Andrea della Valle, executed in the late 1670s. This work also features solutions that help us understand Giorgetti's style, offering interesting points of comparison with the drapery of the Bernini medallion.

The execution of this portrait thus occurred at the most mature moment of the artist’s career. Its attribution to Giorgetti stands not only as proof of his skill as a sculptor, but also as a document of his role within Bernini's inner circle at a time when Gian Lorenzo's image was transitioning into memory and celebration.