Saint Francis in Meditation

Saint Francis of Assisi (1182-1226) kneels in prayer in front of a book propped against a skull. The skull is a symbol of death and, when found in a Christian context such as this, refers to Christ’s crucifixion, a subject which the Saint has perhaps been contemplating. He has put aside his wooden rosary beads, an instrument used to recite specific prayers in sequence, as he receives a divine vision, looking up at three cherubs who appear in a cloud. Saint Francis kneels in an austere, rocky setting littered with weeds and stones, and with snapped branches above. The setting mirrors the harsh nature of Saint Francis’s existence, and the vow of poverty that he made.  A vast and beautiful landscape can be glimpsed behind Saint Francis. However, he faces away from it, denying himself this pleasant view, and instead looks up towards the cherubs (or putti, as they are known in Italian). The brown tones of Saint Francis’s immediate surroundings suggest his humble earthly existence, which contrast with the inviting nature of the hazy, blue landscape beckoning beyond.  

This painting has been attributed to the Bolognese painter Ludovico Carracci (1555-1619) and his workshop. Ludovico, along with his two cousins Agostino (1557-1602) and Annibale (1560-1609) Carracci, redefined the Bolognese school of painting with their new works and theories which departed from what they saw to be the highly artificial style of Mannerist painters before them. They moved towards the type of naturalistic style and clarity of composition which is evident in this depiction of Saint Francis.