The Ecstasy of Saint Teresa is an example of which art period?

• A. High Renaissance
• B. Baroque
• C. Mannerism
• D. Romanticism

Answer: (B)

Baroque characteristics—drama, movement, and theatrical presentation—define why The Ecstasy of Saint Teresa is a Baroque work. The sculpture captures a moment of intense spiritual action: Saint Teresa’s body twists in ecstasy, the angels and drapery curl around her, and the scene radiates a palpable sense of motion and emotion. Bernini extends the experience beyond sculpture by designing the whole setting as a stage—the Cornaro Chapel—where architecture, sculpture, and lighting work together to heighten the devotional drama. Hidden lighting from above creates dramatic highlights and shadows, making the moment feel immediacy and immersive, as if you’re witnessing the vision itself. This convergence of dynamic form, emotional intensity, and integrated theatrical space is characteristic of Baroque art. In contrast, High Renaissance favors calm balance and idealized harmony, Mannerism leans toward elongated, artificial poses, and Romanticism, while it shares strong emotion, arrives in a later, different artistic milieu with different aims. The piece stands out as Baroque for its intense, theatrical revelation of religious experience.