Spanish School, 17th century.

Spanish School, 17th century.
"Saint Francis of Assisi."
Oil on copper.
Measurements: 23 x 17 cm; 37 x 31 cm (frame).

The saint of Assisi is depicted standing, clad in the Franciscan habit, with his hands clasped in an attitude of ecstasy and mystical prayer. He directs his gaze toward the upper right corner, where flashes of divine light emerge from above, alluding to the sacred moment of receiving the stigmata on Mount Alverna.
In contrast to the dark or tenebrist visions of the 17th century, the figure is set in a wooded setting with a distinctly bucolic character. In the background on the right stands a classical building with a dome and a Roman/Renaissance-style temple portal, next to a modest wooden cross, evoking the reconstruction of the Church and the life of a hermit.