Sarah McPhee – Postcard from India 1

Little was known about the subject of Gian Lorenzo Bernini’s "Bust of Costanza Bonarelli" until author and art historian Sarah McPhee started digging in the Roman archives. Through groundbreaking research, McPhee reveals the identity of Costanza, and details her life as a young dowried woman, Bernini’s muse and lover, and wife and widow of Matteo Bonarelli, sculptor, collector, and Bernini’s studio assistant. McPhee is professor of art and architecture history at Emory University and author of "Bernini’s Beloved: A Portrait of Costanza Piccolomini." Last spring Jim Cuno travelled to India to meet with partners on a number of Getty-funded initiatives. He also spoke at the Jaipur Literature Festival, the world’s largest free literary event that draws over 250,000 attendees to hear author talks and musical performances. This episode is one of three “Postcards from India” Jim made during his trip.