Citation

Cipriani G, Cipriani L, Di Fiorino M. Hist. Psychiatry 2017; 28(3): 352-357.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2017, SAGE Publishing)

DOI

10.1177/0957154X17691448

PMID

28508680

Abstract

Francesco Borromini, one of the great geniuses of Baroque architecture, was tormented and solitary, and was increasingly frustrated by the fame and success of his rival, Gian Lorenzo Bernini. Borromini was an unhappy man, constantly dogged by disaster, quarrelling even with his best patrons and closest friends. In the culmination of one of the fits of depression that overcame the architect more and more frequently as his life progressed, Borromini literally fell on his own sword; he lingered in excruciating pain for 24 hours before dying. Largely forgotten, his architecture has again been recognized since the twentieth century as the creation of genius. We try to describe the personality and suicide of this pessimist giant of architecture.

Language: en

Keywords

History, 17th Century; Humans; Depression; suicide; Suicide; Italy; personality; Personality; Architecture; Baroque architecture; Francesco Borromini; Gian Lorenzo Bernini