Spanish school; second half of the XVI century.

Spanish school; second half of the XVI century.
"St. Francis of Assisi.
Oil on panel.
Measurements: 80 x 41 cm; 88 x 46 cm (frame).
In this intimate, sober and devotional scene, the artist portrays St. Francis in prayer, in a totally austere scene where only a few elements stand out. St. Francis is depicted full-length, slightly tilted, holding the Cross. The thick brushstroke defines a rotund figure, of profound humanity, with great economy of color, limited to the range of browns, which only emphasizes the message of humility and mystical simplicity that the saint advocated throughout his life. It is interesting to note how the author interprets some iconographic elements, as is the case of the belt with the usual three knots or the sores on the feet.
Saint Francis (Assisi, Italy, 1182 - 1226) was the son of a wealthy Italian merchant. Baptized as John, he was soon known as "Francesco" (the little Frenchman), because his mother came from that country. His youth was joyful and carefree until the age of twenty-five, when he changed completely and began to dedicate himself to the service of God, practicing the evangelical ideal: purity, detachment and joy in peace. Francesco renounces the great inheritance received from his parents and decides to live poorly, giving an example of authentic Christianity. He soon had several young disciples, called by the saint "order of the Friars Minor". In 1210, Pope Innocent III granted them the foundation of the new order and encouraged them in their evangelical tasks. During a retreat on the mountain, Christ appeared to him, and legend has it that from his wounds came rays that caused Francis various stigmata. He was a legendary character during his lifetime, considered a living relic. Likewise, his exquisite poetry and his familiarity with nature add the most human accent known in a saint, as can be appreciated in his "Canticle to the Sun".