In the tomb of Alexander VII, Bernini probably intended the pope’s gesture to symbolize his devoted asceticism. The artist was nearly eighty years old when he designed this monument (1671-78). Bernini had been one of the innovators of the Baroque style, and this sculpture is a good example of its extravagant ornateness. The figures of Charity and Truth are in the foreground, and Justice and Prudence are placed around the base.
