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Religious Ecstasy? |
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written
by shivali / 10.24.2005 |
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| The Ecstasy of Beata Ludovica Albertoni |
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Assignment |
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My eyes were initially drawn to Beata Ludovica Albertoni’s hand or the provocative placement of her hand upon her breast. While I would like to say lighting was the primary influence upon the movement of my eyes, though I doubt it. It was the shock of seeing a sexual- or what seems a sexual- sculpture in the church that caught me by surprise. Having never seen a picture of the statue before, I had no expectations and if I did, this is not what I expected to see. I believe my mouth must have hung open for at least a minute. Next, my eyes moved to Beata Ludovica’s face. The look on her face is more of pain than pleasure. Her neck is arched backwards like she is leaning backwards or moving away. My gaze shifts to the intricate details of her dress spread against her body and is held here for quite some time.
Then my mind started racing: is it bad that I saw the sculpture as sexual? Bernini requires each viewer to confront the nature of religious revelation. Distinct lines are drawn between sexuality and religion; each denies the existence of the other. Bernini forces the viewer to consider if such a strict dichotomy is necessary. Both religious fervor and sexual passion are underlined with spiritually. Beata Ludovica Albertoni’s experience is clearly both spiritual and moving. Though the handwork of the sculpture is extraordinary, it was the multidimensional nature of the piece which kept me captivated.
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