Vision der Heiligen Theresa und andere Heilige (Transverberatio) 

Gaspare Diziani made this sketch of the Vision of Saint Theresa and Other Saints sometime in the 18th century. This image depicts the visionary experience of Saint Theresa of Avila, a Spanish mystic, in which an angel pierces her heart with a fiery dart, representing divine love. Diziani's sketch was made during the late Baroque period, a time marked by religious revival and the promotion of Catholic spirituality. During this period, the church played a central role in shaping artistic production, commissioning works that would inspire religious devotion. Diziani was working in Venice, and the artistic institutions there maintained the traditions of the Catholic Church, a major patron for artists at that time. Consider how the sketch is oriented toward the spiritual interests of the day. The loose and energetic lines heighten the dramatic impact, evoking the ecstatic nature of Theresa's vision. To fully understand this artwork, one might research the cultural history of 18th century Venice and the Catholic Church's patronage of the arts. Through these contextual investigations, we can better understand the forces that shaped Diziani's artistic vision.