Copyright: Public Domain
Andrea Bergondi sculpted this marble figure of Saint Paul the Hermit in the 18th century. The saint is caught in a moment of fervent prayer, his hands clasped together, his gaze lifted towards the divine. He kneels on a rugged, rocky surface wearing a woven garment. Note the gesture of his upturned hands. It transcends mere supplication; it is a reaching out, a grasping for something beyond the earthly realm. Consider how this motif appears throughout art history, from ancient Roman orators to Renaissance depictions of biblical figures. The gesture becomes a channel to express inner turmoil, a plea for divine assistance. In psychoanalytic terms, the upturned hands are like an expression of the collective unconscious, a visual representation of the human desire for transcendence. This powerful image strikes at our subconscious, reminding us of humanity's timeless quest for meaning and connection to a higher power. The symbol has reappeared across eras, evolving from a sign of communication to one of profound spiritual longing.
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Saint Paul from Luxor in Egypt was the first Hermit saint of Christianity. (He is not to be confused with the Apostle Paul, the patron saint of Minneapolis's Twin City.) The statue showing him in prayer was originally placed behind the altar of the church of San Paolo Primo Eremita in Rome, where it was set in a naturalistic cave made of stucco. Thanks to a light well in the wall, a natural spotlight illuminated the statue. Both the church's architecture and Bergondi's statue are heavily informed by the high baroque style of the previous century. These references to a glorious, recent past must have resonated with the wishes of the patrons, the Order of Saint Paul, which was mostly composed of Polish and Hungarian monks. The decoration of San Paolo Primo Eremita was the last monumental project, which was carried out in Rome in the Baroque style, during a period, when most artists were adopting neoclassical ideals. Andrea Bergondi was a highly distinguished sculptor in 18th-century Rome. A longstanding president of the Roman Academy of Fine Arts (Accademia di San Luca), his most famous work today is the relief depicting Agrippa commanding the construction of the aqueduct (1732–34) on the Trevi Fountain. Conservation of the statue of Saint Paul the Hermit was generously funded by the Friends of the Institute.
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