The ecstasy of St. Theresa is a unique sculpture of the great Giovanni Bernini, reflecting the secret desires of a nun who lived in the 16th century. The uniqueness lies not only in the history of creation, but also in the fact that it reflects what meaning it carries and what it “talks” about. Moreover, leading art critics argue that calling a composition a sculpture is wrong and wrong. This is an altar marble group, striking in its liveliness, uncharacteristic for this type of material.
Description
The sculptural group Ecstasy of St. Theresa is one of the best creations of the great Bernini. It is a marble composition in the Baroque style, which tells about the mystical insight of a Spanish nun. The figures of Teresa and the angel descending to her from heaven in a dream are made of white marble. The divine light of illumination is made in the form of bronze rays in the background of the group. The composition is enclosed in a colonnade of colored marble.
The protagonist of the sculptural group is depicted with her head thrown back, her face reflects the languid feelings with which she is seized. The sculptor managed to make the stone "speak", show all the subtleties of the experience. It seems that the arrow in the hands of an angel is trembling and is about to pierce the nun’s body, and from her lips a moan is heard.
The marble in the hands of master Giovanni Bernini turned into a wax-like material. The facial features of both the nuns and the angel look so natural that the viewer involuntarily waits for the movement and further development of the scene. Natural light adds visual charm and fullness to the reality of the picture.
History of creation
Bernini was prompted by the nuns from Spain to create this sculptural group. Teresa is not a fictional historical character, but a woman who really lived. Her life was connected with the service of the Lord, dedicated to the protection of the humble and wretched, the preaching of the Christian faith. For good intentions and deeds, Teresa was persecuted by the Inquisition.
The heroine was counted among the saints only after death. Teresa wrote down her thoughts and dreams, and they reached us in the form of letters of epistle to Christians. One of these letters, in which she frankly tells about her mystical dream, served as an incentive for the creation of sculpture.
The subtlety of the syllable and unusually clever presentation made Bernini think about the frailty of existence, about the signs that the Lord gives us. The master expressed the impressions and feelings from the read in a stone, which in his hands turned into a plastic and living material.
About Heroine - St. Theresa
Theresa of Avila was born at the beginning of the 16th century in the family of a Spanish nobleman, a descendant of Jews baptized according to the traditions of Christianity. From childhood, the girl was pious, learned to read early, and already at the age of 12 and more she wrote the first literary work - a novel about chivalry.
At age 20, Teresa fled from her home and secretly took tonsure at a Carmelite monastery. A serious illness forced her to return to the care of her father, but after recovery, the girl again wished to live in a monastery. Very quickly, a circle of adherents of those ideas formed around the young nun that did not always correspond to the canons of the Inquisition. For this they tried to excommunicate Teresa from the church, to send them to the remote areas of the country.
The nun did not succumb to threats and continued to preach her view of Christianity. It was she who became the transformer of Carmelite monasticism. In the "piggy bank" of Theresa's literary works there are creations of various directions:
· Own autobiography and descriptions of the lives of great people of those times;
· Philosophical works of religious subjects;
· Poems;
· Novels and poems;
· Moralizing writings and appeals;
· Letters of the signs of God.
In 1614, Teresa was canonized according to Catholic canons, and in 1622 she was canonized by Gregory 15. In 1920, the nun was included in the list of Teachers of the Church by Pope Paul 6.
Where is the sculpture
The altar sculpture group Ecstasy of St. Teresa Bernini is located in a small Roman church called Santa Maria della Vitoria in the Trastevere district. The temple has a theatrical design of decoration, but Christian canons are strictly followed. You can’t bare your shoulders and knees here, women should go inside with their heads covered.
Santa Maria della Vittoria is not only a monument of architecture and art, but also an active church, where services and Christian Catholic rites are held. But the center of attention for tourists is one of the chapels of the temple, where the Ecstasy sculpture of St. Theresa is located.
