“damned Soul” Terracotta Bust - Follower Of Gian Lorenzo Bernini

"Damned Soul," a terracotta bust from the early 19th century, by a follower of Gian Lorenzo Bernini (1598-1680).
The sculpture depicts a tormented young man, gazing downward, as if simultaneously observing and feeling the horrors of hell. The subject's extremely detailed expression, with wide eyes, raised eyebrows, and an agape mouth, undoubtedly denotes intense horror on the "satyr's" face, but also a hint of surprise. Such a forceful and violent expression had never been attempted in the art world before Bernini's attempt. This work is juxtaposed with another bust, that of the "Blessed Soul": the two sculptures together, in fact, exemplify the souls condemned to eternal damnation and the saved souls of the blessed.
Recent studies, however, have suggested that this is not a depiction of a Christian subject, but rather that of a satyr.
According to multiple studies, Bernini's sculpture "The Damned Soul" was created in 1619 and is now housed in the Palazzo di Spagna in Rome.
H 49 cm – D 20 cm – W 29 cm.