Santa Maria della Vittoria 

This baroque church Santa Maria della Vittoria in Rome houses one of Bernini's most ambitious sculptures, "The Ecstasy of Saint Teresa" located inside the Cornaro Chapel.

Cappella Cornaro: By Bernini 1647 - 1651
The Venetian Cornaro's family commissioned the chapel. Bernini was the first who tried to combine architecture with sculpture and painting in order to have a scenographic effect.

Ecstasy of Saint Teresa: By Bernini 1646

The mystical experience melts with a real passion, to the limit of eroticism. Visitors maybe shocked or thrilled by the physical nature of Saint Teresa's ecstasy (shown above), as she appears collapsed on a cloud with mouth half open and eyelids closed, struck by the arrow of a smiling angel.

These sculptures by Gianlorenzo Bernini represent the Cornaro's family members as they watch an onstage performance from their theater box seats.

Placed on the right and left side of "Ecstasy of Saint Teresa". Use pointer to see rollover image.