The Cornaro Chapel and the Ecstasy of Saint Teresa: From Bernini to Pascal

A theatrical art to marvel and persuade

In the wake of the Protestant Reformation, once the ideological onslaught had been contained, the Church of Rome committed itself to an intense campaign of propaganda. Its goal was to reaffirm the foundations of its doctrine, consolidate its influence where the schism had not yet taken root, and lead the faithful back to worship and devotion. As early as the Council of Trent, a specific role had been assigned to art: it was called upon to "persuade" the believers, convincing them that the path set forth by the successors of Peter was the correct one—the only way to attain eternal life.

Art, and sacred art in particular, had to be capable of evoking wonder; in doing so, the scenes depicted and the miracles displayed would appear so lifelike that the faithful would have no desire to doubt them. Within this mechanism, the spectator certainly senses the "illusion" but willingly allows themselves to be captivated by the spectacle nonetheless.

Many artists responded to the Church’s call; however, it was Gian Lorenzo Bernini (1598–1680), the undisputed and unchallenged genius of the Baroque, who interpreted the ecclesiastical directives with a profound sensitivity matched by few others. He did so, precisely, by marveling his audience. Theatricality was the "via maestra"—the primary path through which Bernini pursued his work of Catholic propaganda. Bernini’s oeuvre has often been interpreted through the lens of theater: an accurate reading, yet neither one-dimensional nor exhaustive (and, on the other hand, it is misleading to try to confine Bernini within a single formula). Theatricality was never the ultimate goal of Bernini’s art; rather, the artist utilized showmanship to best present his artistic "prodigy" (or miracle).

Roma, Chiesa di Santa Maria della Vittoria. A sinistra, si intravede la Cappella Cornaro.

The Cornaro Chapel

It was during the papacy of Innocent X, between 1647 and 1652, that Bernini had the opportunity to create one of his greatest masterpieces: the Cornaro Chapel in Santa Maria della Vittoria in Rome—one of the most complete and manifest expressions of Bernini's theatricality. In 1647, the Venetian Cardinal Federico Cornaro commissioned the artist to design a funerary chapel for his family in the left transept of the church.

Gian Lorenzo Bernini, Cappella Cornaro, 1647-52. Roma, Chiesa di Santa Maria della Vittoria.

Teresa d’Ávila

To decorate the altar, the artist chose a theme deeply cherished by Catholic tradition: the Ecstasy of Saint Teresa, a sixteenth-century saint to whom the patron was profoundly devoted. Teresa d’Ávila, one of the most prominent and significant figures of the Catholic Counter-Reformation, had founded the Order of Discalced Carmelites and had been both a witness to and a protagonist of extraordinary supernatural and mystical phenomena throughout her life—events she herself described in an evocative autobiography.

Gian Lorenzo Bernini, Cappella Cornaro, 1647-52.

To ensure that the faithful maintained the proper perspective of the scene, Bernini framed the work within a grand architectural border, creating a sort of theatrical proscenium; in fact, he literally transformed the space of the chapel into a theater. "Staging" the miracle, the divine apparition, or even a historical event was the most effective and modern method to engage an audience that had truly become one of "witnesses." It is no coincidence that the patrons—the members of the Cornaro family—were sculpted here in two lateral opera boxes (palchetti), as if they were spectators ideally attending the miracle.

Gian Lorenzo Bernini, Cappella Cornaro, 1647-52.

Gian Lorenzo Bernini, Cappella Cornaro, 1647-52. Veduta angolare.

Gian Lorenzo Bernini, Cappella Cornaro, particolare della famiglia Cornaro che assiste all’Estasi di santa Teresa, nel palchetto di destra.

Gian Lorenzo Bernini, Cappella Cornaro, particolare della famiglia Cornaro che assiste all’Estasi di santa Teresa, nel palchetto di sinistra.

The Ecstasy of Saint Teresa

The visual and spiritual centerpiece of the entire complex is the sculptural group of the Ecstasy of Saint Teresa, in which the saint appears suspended in mid-air upon a cloud, utterly enraptured: her eyes half-closed, her mouth slightly parted, her arms limp. A smiling seraph gently pulls back a fold of her voluminous tunic—which conceals a delicate female body—and stands ready to pierce her heart with a golden arrow, the symbol of divine love.

Gian Lorenzo Bernini, Estasi di santa Teresa, 1647-52. Marmo e bronzo dorato. Roma, Chiesa di Santa Maria della Vittoria, Cappella Cornaro.

The image of the woman appears deeply unsettling, and her expression could be perceived as ambiguous. Some critics have gone so far as to describe this masterpiece by Bernini in terms of "sacred eroticism." In reality, Bernini remained faithful to the words of Teresa herself, who wrote: “The pain was so intense that I cried out loud; yet, at the same time, I felt such sweetness that I wished the pain would last forever. It was a physical pain, though not a bodily one, even if it affected the body to some extent. It was the sweetest caress of the soul by God.”

Gian Lorenzo Bernini, Estasi di santa Teresa, 1647-52.

Certainly, as a master interpreter, Bernini knew how to play upon the subtle line between ecstasy and voluptuousness. The former belongs to the soul, the latter to the senses. However, while ecstasy is contemplative by nature, in certain instances it can seize, overwhelm, and involve the senses as well, becoming a true physical love for God.

Gian Lorenzo Bernini, Estasi di santa Teresa, 1647-52. Particolare del volto di Santa Teresa.

The Involvement of the Spectator

When viewing the work through this lens, it becomes clear that nothing is left to chance; one can see the masterful way in which Bernini succeeds in engaging the spectator, creating a dense web of connections to draw them toward the saint and, ultimately, toward God. Even the folds of the garments are entirely functional to this purpose. The artist goes so far as to use the drapery as an amplifier of emotion—an outward projection of the soul's enveloping movements. Indeed, Teresa’s habit appears as a pulsating substance that contorts and burns; it is the soul of the saint consumed by the ecstasy of love. Conversely, the angel’s short tunic is like a swift flickering flame—the fire of divine love.

Gian Lorenzo Bernini, Estasi di santa Teresa, 1647-52. Particolare della veste di Santa Teresa.

"Luce alla Bernina" (Bernini’s Light)

A light descending from above, passing through a hidden window screened by yellow glass, illuminates the sculptural group. It is a natural, raking light—warm, soft, and golden—that maximizes the quality of the materials, making the marble appear even more polished and lending it enhanced silken effects. This natural light then refracts off the bronze rays, which evoke the divine light washing over the saint, creating evocative symbolic effects: it seems as though the natural light has solidified, changing its very nature to become divine light.

Gian Lorenzo Bernini, Cappella Cornaro, 1647-52. Effetti della luce “alla bernina”.

Through the reading of the Gospels and the lives of the saints, the faithful know that God occasionally reveals Himself to mankind. A work conceived in this manner can convey a powerful emotion, making the viewer a witness to a supernatural event. In doing so, it convinces and persuades them that such events are possible and are not merely a literary invention. This particular solution by Bernini came to be known as "luce alla bernina."

Gian Lorenzo Bernini, Cappella Cornaro, 1647-52. Effetti della luce “alla bernina”.

Pascal’s Thought

Bernini’s imagination—and thus the Baroque imagination—expresses, on a theological level, the ideology of salvation. On the other hand, the French philosopher and theologian Blaise Pascal (1623–1662) was also convinced of the necessity of persuading the faithful of the righteous causes of Christianity. As can be inferred from many of his Pensées (published posthumously in 1670), Pascal believed it was inappropriate to defend the Christian religion using a strictly rational and logically sequential method. Those who have lost their faith cannot be won back through traditional arguments regarding the existence of God and the immortality of the soul.

Gian Lorenzo Bernini, Cappella Cornaro, 1647-52. Particolare della volta con lo Spirito Santo e il trionfo angelico.

According to Pascal, theological discourse must persuade before it demonstrates, and this can only happen if it succeeds in attracting the listener and stirring an interest within them. The theologian must know how to touch both the minds and the hearts of their audience, using words tailored to those they are addressing. One must "make them wish religion were true, and then show that it is."

Pascal maintained that the will, rather than the intellect, "is one of the principal organs of belief" (Pensées, 228). The will believes something to be true or false based on the pleasure it derives from it; the intellect then judges according to what the will has presented to it. Intellectual reasoning either accepts or rejects what has pleased or displeased it, conditioned by the love or aversion stirred by the will.