Saint Teresa of Ávila

This face tilted back with lips parted and eyes closed shows Saint Teresa of Ávila in a moment of religious ecstasy. Tamara de Lempicka painted this in the 1930s, drawing on the famous story of the Spanish mystic who described feeling pierced by divine love so intense it blurred the line between pain and joy. The white cloth wrapped around the saint's head is where Lempicka's talent really comes through, with its crisp folds and sharp shadows that look almost carved from stone.

Lempicka made her name with sleek Art Deco portraits of wealthy socialites and glamorous women, all polished surfaces and bold geometry. This religious subject marks a shift in her later work, when she turned toward gentler and more spiritual themes. Even so, her signature style is unmistakable here in the smooth, sculptural modeling of the skin and the dramatic way the pale figure glows against the black background. The subject may be devotional, but the cool precision is pure Lempicka.