Stigmatization of Saint Francis
Historical Context
Stigmatization of Saint Francis by Tiepolo, at the Courtauld Gallery, dates from around 1767 and depicts the Franciscan founder receiving the wounds of Christ on Mount La Verna. This late work demonstrates Tiepolo's ability to infuse even familiar devotional subjects with fresh visual energy. Tiepolo's religious subjects achieve paradoxical airiness — sacred drama rendered in pastel-tinted light that dissolves solid matter into atmosphere. His altarpieces for Venetian, German, and Spanish pat...
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.
