Boy, Florence gets "David" AND the "Ecstasy"??????
Edited to add: Nope, it isn't. See Pearl's reply below. It's in Rome.]
The artist, purportedly, was depicting St. Theresa's ecstatic vision of being pierced by the love of Christ in the side, a pierce like that of an arrow (no doubt meant to mirror the lancing on Good Friday), wielded by an angel. I don't know how much St. Theresa knew about the classical myths (I'm betting she was an educated woman before becoming a nun), but the parallel between her vision and the myth of Cupid/Eros, piercing his victims with an arrow that made them fall madly in love, was certainly on my mind when I saw this beautiful statue.
Many years later, how appropriate to import the face of film-Frodo into this piece. For his arrow has been every bit as keen and piercing as Cupid's, filling me with a love that seems incurable. But, unlike Theresa's angel, mine did not pierce me through the side but, Cupid-like, elsewhere. No, not there -- through the eye! This is supposed to be the "spiritual" post, remember? Shees!
But, oh, let us sigh as one for the sheer beauty of the face of film Frodo. *sigh*
(Hey; I know I am not the only chaste book fan out there to have been so smitten!)
~ Mechtild
Frodo, as the angel who pierces the side of St. Theresa with his "arrow of pure love", by Bernini:
