The Baroque Era began in the 17th century was a period of artistic style that greatly contrasts the shabby and simple depictions of natural humanism; although the style still revered the Humanist idealism of depicting human figures as close to reality, the artists sought to be different from its predecessor art movement. The Renaissance highly valued serene tranquil landscapes, religious iconography, and realism. On the other hand, Baroque period paintings are more energetic and sharp compared to the Renaissance. Originally, the term for this flamboyant artistic movement came from the word ‘Barocco’ or irregular shaped pearl later changed to Baroque period was an era that contrasts the Renaissance idealism of simplicity and tranquil landscapes. What the Renaissance rejected, the Baroque artists gladly embraced the irregularities and incorporated these themes on art. The new artistic movement showcased the beauty of the human figure and the humanistic idealism and created many works of art depicting the grandeur of ‘human-ness’. (Getlein 388-389).
Gian Lorenzo Bernini was one of the prominent and leading artists of this movement. Much of his works are commonly attributed to sculptures which all serve as interior decorations of the church naves, choir halls, and the interiors of the homes of the rich and powerful people. Among of his masterpieces was the St. Therese in Ecstasy a figure created from a combination of marble and gilt bronze metal. In this scene, the sculptor introduces the figure of the lying St. Therese on top of the rocks, her clam yet confused expression was highlighted by the disarray of the robes she was wearing. The standing angel on the left smiles as he gazes affectionately on the fallen figure of the saint; the white marble and the decorated bronze provided a dramatic display of emotions highlighting the intense moment between the angel and St. Therese as the former prepares to pierce her heart with a small arrow on his hand. Unlike Renaissance works, the chiaroscuro is presented strongly in this sculpture due to the deep carvings of the lines onto the surface of the marble; the deeper the carving, the more it projects shadow contrasts on the sculpture. The lines were not relaxed; rather it is violent, flowing, and sharp a prime characteristic of the Baroque sculptures. Furthermore, mass is highly utilized due to the bulky appearance of the figures. Contrapposto remains a favorite pose to emphasize the dramatic moment. The figures overlap each other as seen on the lower part of the sculpture, the robes they wore are on top of one another’s garments. Due to its immense mass, the space interacts with the whole sculpture and flows irregularly, following every outlines and contours of the bodies.
WORKS CITED
Getlein, Mark. Living with Art. 10th Ed. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2012. E-book.
