Aeneas and Anchises 1619

Bernini carved this marble sculpture of Aeneas and his father Anchises in the early 17th century. The scene depicts Aeneas carrying his elderly father, Anchises, out of burning Troy. Anchises holds a household deity—a symbol of Troy's sacred traditions. We observe the iconographic representation of pietas, a Roman virtue embodying duty and respect towards family, gods, and country. This motif is not isolated; it resonates with ancient Egyptian images of filial piety, where sons carry their deceased fathers to ensure their safe passage to the afterlife. The act of carrying transforms into a potent symbol of cultural continuity, protection of heritage, and the cyclical nature of generations. The emotional weight of this sculpture lies in the contrast between Aeneas's strength and Anchises's vulnerability. The image stirs a deep, subconscious recognition of our own familial bonds and the universal human experience of loss, duty, and the passage of time. This symbol is an echo—a constant return of shared human experience.