After Francisco de Zurbarán, Spanish 1598-1664- Saint Francis in Meditation;...
After Francisco de Zurbarán,
Spanish 1598-1664-
Saint Francis in Meditation;
oil on canvas laid down on board, 36.3 x 28.7 cm.
Provenance:
Private Collection, UK.
Note:
The present work is a smaller copy after Zurbarán's full-length original, painted in 1635-9, and housed at the National Gallery, London [NG230]. It is one of many depictions of Saint Francis by Zurbarán, often thought to be connected to the saint's significance in the iconography of the Counter-Reformation Catholic Church. One of Zurbarán’s most austere and intensely spiritual works, Saint Francis is shown in a moment of profound contemplation, his head tilted upwards, mouth slightly open, and his hands clasped in fervent prayer. The skull is a symbol of death and refers to Christ’s crucifixion. Meditation on death was particularly favoured by the Jesuits, and saints contemplating skulls frequently appear in Italian and Spanish painting of the time.
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After Francisco de Zurbarán,
Spanish 1598-1664-
Saint Francis in Meditation;
oil on canvas laid down on board, 36.3 x 28.7 cm.
Provenance:
Private Collection, UK.
Note:
The present work is a smaller copy after Zurbarán's full-length original, painted in 1635-9, and housed at the National Gallery, London [NG230]. It is one of many depictions of Saint Francis by Zurbarán, often thought to be connected to the saint's significance in the iconography of the Counter-Reformation Catholic Church. One of Zurbarán’s most austere and intensely spiritual works, Saint Francis is shown in a moment of profound contemplation, his head tilted upwards, mouth slightly open, and his hands clasped in fervent prayer. The skull is a symbol of death and refers to Christ’s crucifixion. Meditation on death was particularly favoured by the Jesuits, and saints contemplating skulls frequently appear in Italian and Spanish painting of the time.