Saint Francis Receiving the Stigmata
Historical Context
Saint Francis Receiving the Stigmata, painted around 1650 and now at Apsley House in London (the Wellington Museum), depicts the pivotal moment when Francis of Assisi received the wounds of Christ on Mount La Verna in 1224. Murillo renders the supernatural event with dramatic chiaroscuro, the crucifix appearing in the sky as Francis kneels in ecstatic reception. The painting belongs to Murillo's extensive body of Franciscan subjects, created for the order's numerous Sevillian foundations. Apsley House acquired Spanish art through the Duke of Wellington's connections to Spain during the Peninsular War, when British military involvement opened channels for the transfer of Spanish artistic patrimony to British collections.
Technical Analysis
The composition shows Francis in ecstatic reception of the stigmata, with dramatic light emanating from the source of the wounds. The tenebristic contrast between the illuminated saint and the dark background reflects Murillo's early dramatic style.
Look Closer
- ◆Notice the dramatic chiaroscuro of this earlier work: the light from the stigmata source creates a strong directional illumination quite different from Murillo's later, more atmospheric approach.
- ◆Look at the crucifix appearing in the sky as Francis kneels — Murillo creates the supernatural event through directed dramatic light rather than elaborate representation.
- ◆Find Francis in the posture of ecstatic reception: his open arms and upturned face expressing the receptivity that both receives and embodies the Passion.
- ◆Observe the Apsley House provenance: the Wellington Museum holds Spanish art acquired through the Duke's connections during the Peninsular War.
