Baroque and Bernini

Gianlorenzo Bernini had the ability to mold his visions perfectly into marble statues of spellbinding beauty.  I saw some of his work when I went to Italy.  Ever since going to Rome I've wanted to see more of his art, so I checked out a book on him from the library.  Some of my favorites of his are Apollo and Daphne, The Rape of Proserpina, Beata Ludovica Albertoni, and The Throne of St. Peter; but none are quite as moving as The Ecstasy Of St. Teresa.  Contrary to his previously commissioned works from the Pope, which mainly had Biblical themes, Bernini decided to stick it to the Church and sculpt something unexpected.  The result was a masterpiece; a reclining nun lies enthralled by an angel, appealing to as much sexuality as one could get away with in the 1600s.  The work is Bernini's interpretation of a reformist nun's mystical experience, exemplifying the spiritual supremacy of orgasmic rapture.  Not only that, but the baroque framework around Ecstasy gives it an even more ethereal setting for the theme. 

I'm ashamed to say I did not visit this masterpiece when I was in Italy, simply because I didn't know about it.  To me Bernini was the quintessential artist of Italian Baroque, not only because he was the most talented artist, but because he rejected Papal expectations and went beyond the call of duty, as many of the greatest artists in history have done.  I was surprised to find the statue is inside a Catholic church right now, but I suppose that since it was commissioned for the Church, they put it inside one to garner profits from tourists willing to pay money to see Bernini's masterpiece.  

This has gotten me into baroque art in general.  The juxtapositions of all those luxurious pieces inside palaces and churches inspired me to imagine a vast city filled to the brim with baroque art.  It's in my head, and there's no way I can muster the patience and stamina to draw a city like that, but I will do my best to describe it: 

 
The buildings are low- no skyscrapers.  Religious monuments are on every street block, and the streets themselves are lined with all kinds of sculptures.  The buildings have giant stain-glass windows that are mounted like paintings.  The roofs have mosaics, and every intersection has a fountain with minarets in the center, which are surrounded by sculptures that spew water into the air.  Sections of the city represent different mythological and religious ideologies around the globe.  One street has the gateway to hell and another has one of heaven. Other parts of the city are concentrated with pagan, Greek, Persian, and Egyptian (etc.) deities, stories, and natural wonders.  I could go on and on... The descriptions are endless.