Saint Teresa's Ectasy

Gian Lorenzo Bernini made the sculpture that this drawing was made from in 1652, charcoal, 22x30. It sits in the Cornaro Chapel of the church of Santa Maria della Vittoria in Rome. The angel and Saint Teresa sit above the crowd, floating on a cloud. The scene catches the moment just after the golden arrow pierced her heart. The golden arrow has overwhelmed her heart with the love of God. She says of the encounter,

“Leave me all on fire with a great love of God…The soul is satisfied now with nothing less than God…It is a caressing of love so sweet which now takes place between the soul and God.” – Saint Teresa of Avila