Stigmatization of Saint Francis
Historical Context
Stigmatization of Saint Francis, painted in 1767 and now at the Courtauld Gallery, belongs to the Aranjuez modello series — preparatory paintings for the seven altarpieces Tiepolo executed for the church of San Pascual at the Spanish royal monastery near Madrid. Saint Francis receiving the stigmata — the wounds of Christ appearing on his hands, feet, and side during an ecstatic vision on Mount La Verna in 1224 — was one of the most important images in Franciscan devotional art, representing the saint's mystical conformity to Christ's Passion. The Courtauld Gallery's collection of this and several other Aranjuez modelli makes London an essential location for studying Tiepolo's Spanish period, preserving the immediate creative thinking behind his last great altarpiece commission in a form more accessible to study than the finished large-scale works.
Technical Analysis
The seraph from whom Francis receives the stigmata appears in a burst of golden light that dominates the upper portion of the composition. The saint's ecstatic upward gaze and outstretched arms create a dynamic ascending movement that Tiepolo reinforces through the compositional structure.
Look Closer
- ◆Notice the seraph from whom Francis receives the stigmata appearing in a burst of golden light — the saint's ecstatic upward gaze and outstretched arms creating ascending movement.
- ◆Look at the compositional structure reinforcing the mystical encounter between earthly devotion and divine manifestation.
- ◆Observe this late 1767 Courtauld Gallery painting demonstrating Tiepolo's ability to infuse familiar devotional subjects with fresh visual energy.
