Saturday 20 August 2011

Gianlorenzo Bernini, Saint Maria della Vittoria, Rome

Baroque period is a era which the most of the artist emphasize  more on the drama,theoretical style on their artwork.

For example, Let us have a look on the Cornaro Chapel. Bernini worked the design of the funerary of Chapel Federigo Cornaro in the Church of Santa Maria della Vittoria, which have been design by other artist, Carlo Maderno.  

On the 1652, Bernini covered the wall of the chapel with the marble panel.While the  heavy cornice as a decorative purpose are supported by the marble pilaster. In order to create the in depth effect, Bernini have attach the window and a curve ceiling surrounding the sculpture which create a sense of in depth space.

Alright, when I focus on the center of the sculpture, the sculpture shows a figure is holding a arrow and another person is suffering from some impact. The sculpture is called Teresa and the angel,  who seem floating on a cloud. The figure on the left is angel which holding an arrow, while on the right one is the Teresa.


From this artwork, this give me a lot of question. What is the aim of creating this artwork ? What is the artwork representing during Baroque period?


When i further my research regarding this artwork, 

 The work is represent a vision which an angel pierced her body with  an arrow and transporting her to a sense of religious ecstasy.
Well, what is mean by the religious ecstasy?


Religious ecstasy refer to the a sense of oneness with the God.


I quite impress with the Bernini artwork when he is able to gain the movement and emotion of the figures through the texture he created especially on the drapery cloth, the expression of the angel from  white, mass of marble.


Indeed,   I can feel that although the sculpture were done from a huge marble, the posture of the Teresa with a drapery attire laying on the cloud makes the whole sculpture weightless.


From another perspective, we can observed that the Bernini are excellent on the conveying the texture of the garment which create a smooth, a pleasure body posture although some of the Teresa body               is visible.


On the other hand, Bernini also using some bronze stroke which represent the light ray. At the same time , the window also covered by the light ray.



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