The Triumph of the Name of Jesus
1676-79
Gaulli, nicknamed 'Baciccio' and a favorite of Bernini, created this explosive composition to make viewers feel like the roof of the church had dissolved into the heavens. At the center, the glowing monogram 'IHS' (the name of Jesus) bursts forth like a spiritual supernova, sending shockwaves of light and clouds rippling outward. You can see the 'blessed' figures being swept up toward the divine light in a frenzy of angels, while below, a tangle of darker, muscular figures—the damned—plummet into the shadows, seemingly falling right out of the frame. It’s a brilliant example of High Baroque drama, designed to blur the line between the real world and the painted sky.
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