Which Baroque sculptor created 'The Rape of Proserpina'?

Gian Lorenzo Bernini created “The Rape of Proserpina,” more literally translated as “The Abduction of Proserpina.” This Baroque marble group was sculpted in Rome in 1621–1622, when Bernini was only about 23 years old.

The sculpture captures the mythological moment when Pluto, god of the underworld, seizes Proserpina and carries her away. Bernini’s extraordinary treatment of Carrara marble makes Pluto’s fingers appear to press into Proserpina’s flesh, while her twisting body, raised arm, and tears heighten the drama. Cerberus, the underworld’s three-headed guardian, appears at the base.

Cardinal Scipione Borghese commissioned the work, and it was later given to Cardinal Ludovico Ludovisi. The sculpture is now in Rome’s Galleria Borghese. The title’s “rape” reflects the older meaning of the word—abduction—though the scene itself depicts a violent assault.