The glorious fresco in the Basilica of St. Ignatius in Rome depicts the "Glory of Sant'ignatius", that is a wonderful painting that makes us understand an aspect of baroque art (we are in the XVII century): this fresco is monumental and it is able to create new dimensions.

First of all keep in mind that this wonderful church was built at the beginning of the XVII century becoming the main headquarters of the Jesuit. Then remember of Saint Ignatius was the founder of this powerful religious order, an order that was able to stand everywhere in the word. And then you have to remind how the painted decorations of the church were designed by Andrea Pozzo, a Jesuit. So we have not to be surprised if the Basilica of Saint Ignatius was used to celebrate the religious order and, of course, the santity of its founder. In this multicoloured wonder we see the saint dressed in black being in the position of a prayer (with open arms) addressing to Jesus and His Cross. Here, in some way, Christ is accepting Saint Ignatius who is almost driving, by means of its Light, in the highest Heaven and in the glory of Paradise. A way to say how the saint really deserved to be up there, between the figures of the angels and other saints.

The figures around the two main protagonists of the fresco create a sort of spiral movement that leads up to that point, at that distance short and bright, which divide the two. The light is crucial, since it generates an infinite depth. The ceiling of this church seems not to exist because we only see the sky, clouds and light. The only breakthrough of perspective and illusionistic much beloved by baroque artists. It almost seems that there is not a ceiling due to the extraordinary infinity shines from the sky completely dazzling light. We can immerse ourselves in this new dimension, in an infinite depth. To be noted as a reason for greater impressiveness, the fake architecture (capitals, columns, and walls) that ascends to the top, with a perspective that is fantastic. Our eye is guided in order to look directly at the top, having the idea that there may be more to than appear, something beyond the ceiling of the basilica.

A similar suggestion, a similar vision and a similar emotion could be found in other wonderful basilica of Rome, the Church of Sant'Agnese in Agone at Piazza Navona (click here to read more about it). I suggest you to move forward to the aisle stopping at the height of the first benches you will find: turn around towards the entrance and look up, so you can better understand how the curved lines of the ceilings, that truly existing have been reused and modified, hidden by the fake architecture, and from the figures that lead you on, to see Christ and the glory of the saint. This was, after all, the purpose of the art of the time: educating in the faith, bringing positive examples, like that of the holy, and striking at the same time the attention of the observer. Beautiful...