ECSTASY OF SAINT TERESA

Location: Santa Maria della Vittoria, Rome, Italy

Sculptor: Gian Lorenzo Bernini

Year: 1652

Saint Teresa of Avila was a Spanish nun who claimed to have experienced divine

visions in which she would suddenly feel consumed by the love of God, feel the bodily

presence of Christ or of angels, and be lifted to an exalted state of ecstasy. She

described these visions in her writings. In 1622, forty years after her death, Teresa was

canonized by Pope Gregory XV. This sculpture depicts one of the visions described by

her in her spiritual autobiography. In it, an angel carrying a fire-tipped spear appears

before her. He pierces her heart repeatedly with the spear, an act that sends her into a

state of spiritual rapture.Gian Lorenzo Bernini is regarded as a pioneer of Baroque

sculpture, a style the flourished in Europe from early 17th to late 18th century. In this

masterpiece, Bernini takes the principles of the Baroque; drama,

emotion and theatricality; to unparalleled heights. Ecstasy of Saint Teresa is the most

renowned work of one of the most influential sculptors of all time.

THE BRONZE DAVID

Location: Bargello Museum, Florence, Italy

Sculptor: Donatello

Year: c. 1440s

The Bronze David is renowned for being the first large-scale free-standing nude statue

since antiquity. It is also the first unsupported standing work of bronze cast during the

Renaissance. It depictsDavid, of the story of David and Goliath, holding the sword of his

defeated enemy and with his foot on Goliath’s severed head. David is completely

naked, apart from a laurel-topped hat and boots. The well-proportioned and delicate

figure of David bears contrast with the giant sword in his hand, perhaps indicating the

assistance of God in his achieving the incredible feat. Donatello is regarded as one of

the founding fathers of the Renaissance and he was the leading sculptor of its early

period. Among other things, he gave a different direction to Western sculpture taking it

away from the prevalent Gothic style to the Classical style. Donatello produced a

clothed marble statue of David in Gothic style in 1409 but it is nowhere as famous as

the Bronze David, which is executed in Classical style and considered his greatest

masterpiece.
STATUE OF LIBERTY
Location: Liberty Island, Manhattan, New York City, New York, U.S.

Sculptor: Frederic Auguste Bartholdi

Year: 1886

Liberty, a personification of the concept of liberty, has existed as a goddess in many

cultures. Since the French Revolution, the figure of Liberty is viewed as a symbol of
France and the French Republic. This renowned copper statue was a gift from the
people of France to the people of the United States. It was designed by French
sculptor Frederic Auguste Bartholdi and built by renowned French civil
engineer Gustave Eiffel. The Statue of Liberty depicts the Roman goddess
Libertas holding a torch above her head with her right hand and in her left hand she is
carrying a tablet on which is inscribed in Roman numerals the date of the U.S.
Declaration of Independence. As an American icon, the Statue of Liberty has been
depicted on the country’s coinage and stamps. It has also become an international icon
of freedom. It was described as a “masterpiece of the human spirit” and designated
aUNESCO World Heritage Site in 1984. One of the best known monuments, the Statue
of Liberty is the most famous sculpture in the world.

One World Trade Center — Manhattan, New York, U.S.

The building, which now stands where the Twin Towers once stood, is
the sixth tallest building in the world. The structure — also known as 1
World Trade Center or the Freedom Tower — was completed in 2013,
stands 104 floors high, and is located north of the National September
11 Memorial & Museum. Visitors can not only view this beauty from the
street level, but they can also take the elevator all the way up to the
observation deck, which offers a 360-degree view of Manhattan.
Eiffel Tower — Paris, France
The iconic structure is one of the most recognized in the
world. When it was finished in 1889, many artists in France
criticized its look. Today, there are three different levels that
guests can visit. On the first floor, 300 steps up, there's a
glass floor that you can walk on and see beautiful views of the
Champ de Mars lawn.
Another 300 steps up on the second floor, there's a restaurant
and buffet with a gift shop. At the top, which you get to via
elevator, you'll be able to see breathtaking views of the City of
Light.

Taipei 101 — Taipei, Taiwan

For a period of time, the Taipei 101 landmark skyscraper had the
fastest running elevator — transporting you up 84 floors in 37
seconds — until it lost the title to the Shanghai Tower. The Taipei
101 is also one of the largest green buildings in the world.