During the early 16th century, look at any piece of art and you will see some form of religious theme specifically tailored to either belief of time (Christianity or Protestantism). While Bernini’s “The Ecstasy of St. Teresa” and El Greco’s “The Agony in the Garden” are portrayed through a more flamboyant Baroque style of artistry, Vermeer’s “The Milkmaid” and Rembrandt’s “The Prodigal Son” are more iconoclastic and illusionistic in nature. Additionally, artwork titles emphasize the religious message; whether it is Christian zeal, “agony” and “ecstasy”; or Protestant romanticism, a simple and nostalgic title. Furthermore, the artist goes one more step to imply symbolism by using atmosphere, depth, emotion, and illumination to subtly imply …show more content…
During the early 16th century, wars were fought over religion and as a result, a division of artistic interpretation began to unfold. Additionally, after the Council of Trent, reconciliation between religious offshoots and the true Church seemed futile, leading to a Catholic Church campaign focus of orthodoxy and conformity.
As a result of Martin Luther’s insurgency, Christian Counter-Reformation Art began to flourish. This form of art, defining a strict doctrine-style touch, can be seen in Bernini’s “The Ecstasy of St. Teresa.” This sculpture depicts a moment in Teresa’s life as she describes an angel piercing her heart multiple times with a spear, which sent Teresa into what she described as a spiritual rapture.
Bernini’s sculpture was created for sensual and spiritual pleasure, and was meant to focus on Teresa’s unionization with Jesus Christ as an arrow pierces her heart. The sculpture is made of white marble, and the subject is surrounded by bronze “rays.” The use of material symbolizes purity and grace, as well as contrasting materials, such as dark columns making the sculpture seem brighter. Bernini uses examples of movement to show intense emotion and servitude through by accentuating position of the angel’s arm, the folds and creases in clothing, as well as the appearance of Teresa’s crumpled clothing and the facial