The Ecstasy of Saint Theresa by Gian Lorenzo Bernini

“The Ecstasy of Saint Theresa” was created by Gian Lorenzo Bernini in 1652, and was commissioned by Cardinal Federico Cornaro. The piece still stands in Rome, Italy in the in the Cornaro Chapel of the Santa Maria della Vittoria church.

Bernini’s work was heavily influenced by the new wave of religious art inspired by the patronage of the Council of Trent. While this piece was not directly funded by the organization, he was commissioned to create an installation piece for the Cornaro Chapel by Cardinal Federica Carnaro himself. The piece depicts the newly canonized Saint Theresa, an odd choice for the time because of her questionable claims of religious ideology and spiritual experiences. She is shown in a state of rapture, her much recorded spiritual encounters in which she was overwhelmed by the love of God. This particular scene is thought to have been inspired by a particular passage from her writings:

“… Beside me, on the left hand, appeared an angel in bodily form… He was not tall but short, and very beautiful; and his face was so aflame that he appeared to be one of the highest rank of angels, who seem to be all on fire… In his hands I saw a great golden spear, and at the iron tip there appeared to be a point of fire. This he plunged into my heart several times … and left me utterly consumed by the great love of God. The pain was so severe that it made me utter several moans. The sweetness caused by this intense pain is so extreme that one cannot possibly wish it to cease, nor is one’s soul then content with anything but God. This is not a physical, but a spiritual pain, though the body has some share in it-even a considerable share …” (PBS).

The piece is huge and imposing, taking up not only and entire wall, but also the ceiling and walls perpendicular to the central focus as well. The piece is ornate, using sculpture, carving, painting, theatrical staging, as well as lighting to create an overwhelming product. The central figures as well as the on looking audience on the perpendicular walls are all incredibly expressive. They are positioned in movement with expressions of interest, or in Theresa’s case, ecstasy. Bernini’s background in theater leant greatly to his dramatic staging of the characters of interest. He positioned the central scene under the stained glass window, so that the chamber in which Theresa and the angel are positioned would light up as if from the light of a heavenly power from above, reflected on the gilded beams raining down upon them. His piece served the purpose of overwhelming the audience with the power of faith, inspiring a stronger worship of god through the depiction of heaven’s divine glory.

I, personally, enjoy the splendor of works like this. The entirety of the piece is simply awe inspiring. The attention to detail is incredible, creating expressive unique characters from marble, and crafting flowing robes from the stone.

The scene is framed perfectly, the contrasting dark marble around the scene creating the presence of a stage. The figures appear to be floating in the center focus, in a state of rapture between the darkened representation of Hell below, and the figurative light of heaven above. The religious symbolism involved in the piece, besides the obvious is astounding, such as the small detail of the dove, the representation of the holy spirit, painted towards the ceiling, near the window so that the light of heaven seems to shine down upon the figures from where it rests. The contrasts of light and dark stone, shadow and light around the very sculptures themselves, utilize not only the actual marble, but also the empty space around the stone to better illuminate the movement and expression of the figures.

Bernini, Gian Lorenzo. The Ecstasy of Saint Theresa. 1652. Sculpture. Santa Maria Della Vittoria, Rome, Italy.

“The Ecstasy of Saint Theresa.” Artble. N.p., 2015. Web. 22 June 2015. <http://www.artble.com/artists/gian_lorenzo_bernini/sculpture/the_ecstasy_of_saint_theresa>.

PBS. PBS, n.d. Web. 22 June 2015. <http://www.pbs.org/wnet/powerofart/berbios.php>.

Susanna and the Elders by Artemisia Gentileschi

Artemisia Gentileschi’s first masterpiece was “Susanna and the Elders.” The piece is a depiction of the biblical story of Susanna, who was blackmailed by two elderly men that threatened to spread lies about Susanna’s promiscuity unless she were to lie with them. She refused and was sentenced to death until divine intervention turned the trial on her accusers, proving her innocence. The artistic renditions of the piece during the renaissance were usually used to tell a story of salvation by faith in God. What was so unique about Artemisia’s version of the painting was the meaning behind it. Her painting was not about triumph or salvation. It was about suffering and the darker nature of men. The painting was based on her own experiences, as she herself was raped by her painting tutor, Agostino Tassi, and was blackmailed into continuing a sexual relationship with him. He had promised to marry her, which would save Artemisia’s reputation and future after losing her virginity before marriage. The only reason Artemisia’s father was able to press charges against Tassi was because the man had taken Artemisia’s virginity, and thus lowered her worth as an unmarried woman. Even with all of the plots, thievery, and adultery surrounding Tassi that had come to light, he was only sentenced to a year of imprisonment, and never actually served his time. Artemisia’s own struggles and suffering because of her rape were glossed over and not taken seriously, much like her original painting was.

This x-ray of “Susanna and the Elders,” restored by the artist Kathleen Gilje, shows what was hidden underneath the finished product, a far more emotional and disturbing scene. It is not certain as to why the original picture was changed or by who, though it is thought to have been changed because the image did not fit the artistic norm of the time. For example, Alessandro Allori’s “Susanna and the Elders” below is a much more common depiction of the scene.

Artists would paint Susanna as voluptuous, calm, and even accepting of the lustful elders’ advances. This does not in any way resemble the traumatic struggle that Artemisia’s work depicts. The humanistic naturalism of her work depicts raw emotions, rage, and fear, even going so far as to arm her victim. Her realistic approach to painting women allowed for her paintings to treat women as characters with their own emotions, rather than ideals. Her painting was incredibly true to life, depicting the futile struggles of an innocent young woman doomed to suffer for being wronged by others.

Allori, Alessandro. Susanna and the Elders. 1607. Oil on canvas. Musée Magnin, Dijon.
Gentileschi, Artemisia. Susanna and the Elders. 1610. Oil on canvas. Schönborn Collection, Pommersfelden.
Gilje, Kathleen. Susanna and the Elders. 1998. Restored – X-Ray. Kathleen Gilje. Web. 10 June 2015.

Hello world!

Hello, my name is Caitlin and I’m working towards my BS in mechanical engineering. I still haven’t figured out what I want my focus to be, but I know that I want to be able to travel the world one day. I also have a borderline unhealthy obsession with books, and not nearly enough shelf space to support it.

I have always been interested in any sort of sculpting art. I have taken classes in fiber arts, ceramics, sculpting, and metalsmithing. I also taught myself to knit and crochet, albeit rather poorly. I enjoy creating smaller detailed pieces, and have attempted lampworking recently. I enjoy theater and film as well, but still prefer books, as I mentioned above. I am not a very musically inclined person, as I am very much tone deaf and have never really enjoyed playing instruments or listening to music.

I have always found movement in art pieces fascinating, so I find Theo Jansen’s works absolutely incredible.