The Cornaro Chapel was commissioned by Cardinal Federico Cornaro. Cornaro acquired the rights for the chapel in 1647 and it was intended to be a funerary chapel for his own burial and for his distinguished family. The chapel itself is located with the church of Santa Maria della Vittoria and a convent adjoins the church as well. Once again Bernini shows how well he understands the art of design through creating this chapel and along with it the sculpture of St. Theresa.
The chapel is almost planned out in a theatrical way. Theresa is its center point making her what is being viewed and anyone who walks up to her is the audience. The chapel itself forms a kind of stage, while the alter creates a secondary tier behind which the retable forms a third level in a niche flanked by double columns (Toman, 285-286).
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