The life of St. Teresa of Avila whose Feast Day is October 15, inspired the famous Bernini sculpture found in the Cornaro Chapel at Santa Maria della Vittoria known as The Ecstasy of Saint Teresa or LEstasi di Santa Teresa. Bernini was known as a master of the theatrical within his sculptural imagery and this may be the pinnacle of his technique with hidden light sources and total narrative control. In her autobiography Mi Vida Teresa writes about mystical experiences that she had with God, one of which Bernini depicts here. She is shown as a person of our own world who seems close, as if this miraculous event is happening before our eyes. Bernini included a hidden window to let light in onto the rays and give this visual effect. One interesting fact: Teresa died in 1581 and was canonized in 1622 - this statue was finished just 30 years later in 1652 (less than 75 years after her death). St. Teresas experience of religious ecstasy in her encounter with the angel is described in her autobiography “Mi Vida” here: I saw in his hand a long spear of gold, and at the irons point there seemed to be a little fire. He appeared to me to be thrusting it at times into my heart, and to pierce my very entrails; when he drew it out, he seemed to draw them out also, and to leave me all on fire with a great love of God. The pain was so great, that it made me moan; and yet so surpassing was the sweetness of this excessive pain, that I could not wish to be rid of it. The soul is satisfied now with nothing less than God.
Posted on: Wed, 15 Oct 2014 12:04:37 +0000
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