Luigi Bernini

Talented engineer-sculptor Luigi served as older brother Gian Lorenzo's indispensable right-hand man throughout Gian Lorenzo’s career, despite the violent emotional storms that erupted in their relationship at a couple of junctures.

Schama, Simon. “Power Of Art” (BBC Books, England, 28 September 2006) … “Matteo Bonarelli had come to Rome from Lucca around 1636 and joined Bernini's workshop, where he had the usual details - angels and such-like - farmed out to him by the Cavaliere. His wife, Costanza, was, however, evidently no angel, nor especially constant. The affair between her and Bernini was apparently not his first, since Baldinucci writes of the romantic adventures, very much in the plural, of his youth. The "youth", however, was by now nearly 40, and his liaison with Costanza was obviously more than just a fling. He was, as his son Domenico candidly wrote, "fieramente inamorato" with her. … There came a day when someone approached Bernini and whispered (doubtless nervously, given his reputation for hot temper) that his mistress was, alas, also sleeping with someone else. That someone else was his younger brother, Luigi. That evening, at the family table, he announced that the next day he would be going to the country to see to some business. But instead he went to Costanza's house in time to see his brother emerge with her "mezza vestita" - which means, probably, not half-clothed but in her nightdress. In the violent fight that followed, Gianlorenzo, trying to kill his brother with an iron crowbar, succeeded in breaking two of his ribs. At home Bernini made another attempt to kill Luigi, this time with his sword, and when the younger brother took sanctuary in the church of Santa Maria Maggiore, Bernini was left vainly trying to kick in the door. … He had not yet exhausted his rage. That same afternoon a servant was sent to the Bonarelli house. He found Costanza in bed and there, fulfilling the orders he had been given by Bernini, he cut her face to ribbons with a razor. The servant was arrested, tried and sent to prison for his assault. Costanza was sent to prison on charges of adultery and fornication. Luigi was exiled to Bologna for his own safety. Bernini was penalised - by a 3,000 scudi fine. But his patron and friend Urban VIII then waived the fine on the understanding that now the Cavaliere would marry. This turned out to be something short of severe corrective punishment, since the intended bride, Caterina Tezio, was reputedly the most beautiful woman in Rome. Bernini did indeed go through with the marriage, never (as far as one knows) strayed again and had 11 children by Caterina.”

Mormando, Franco. Bernini: His Life and His Rome (Chicago, Illinois: University of Chicago Press, 2013 reprint) … http://books.google.com/books?id=oeJ0qXzP9HsC&pg=PT186&lpg=PT186&dq... … “Luigi was to return to Rome in late 1639, his services having been requested by Cardinal Francesco. Luigi, however, took the precaution of writing in advance to make sure that his (now securely married) brother approved of his return. Approve he did, because without Luigi’s expertise, especially as engineer, Bernini was handicapped in his ability to carry out some of the complicated architectural projects for the Barberini. Luigi never married, and at the age of sixty-three he was once again forced to flee Rome for a crime worthy of the tabloids, his violent sodomizing of a young workshop assistant…”