SCULPTURE & SPIRITUALITY.

The article focuses on the interpretation of Gian Lorenzo Bernini's Cornaro Chapel, particularly the eight male sculptures observing St. Teresa of Ávila's ecstatic moment in the altarpiece The Ecstasy of St. Teresa. It challenges the view that these men are voyeuristically ogling Teresa, instead presenting them as engaged witnesses representing paths to faith through logical disputation and experiential belief. The article highlights Bernini's and Teresa's shared commitment to accessible spirituality, influenced by Ignatius's Spiritual Exercises, which encouraged imaginative prayer and embodied devotion. Through the chapel's design, worshippers are invited to participate in a spiritual experience that connects Teresa's vernacular theology with a broader affective engagement with the divine.