Blessed Egidius of Assisi, in levitation before Pope Gregory IX
Historical Context
Blessed Egidius of Assisi in Levitation Before Pope Gregory IX, painted around 1645 and now in the North Carolina Museum of Art, depicts an episode from early Franciscan history. Brother Giles (Egidius), one of Saint Francis's original companions, reportedly levitated during an audience with the Pope — a miraculous demonstration of his sanctity. This early work reflects Murillo's close association with Seville's Franciscan communities, which provided his first major commissions. The subject of mystical levitation was popular in Counter-Reformation art as evidence of saintly grace. Murillo renders the supernatural event with a naturalistic approach that makes the miraculous seem plausible, a hallmark of his religious art.
Technical Analysis
The levitating friar and the astonished pope create a composition of dramatic vertical tension. The upward movement of the floating figure is conveyed through the billowing habit and the upturned faces of witnesses below.
Look Closer
- ◆Notice the levitating friar with his billowing habit and the upturned faces of witnesses below — Murillo renders the supernatural event with a naturalistic approach that makes the miraculous seem plausible.
- ◆Look at the upward movement of the floating figure conveyed through physical details: the habit's billowing, the body's tilt, the expressions of astonishment below.
- ◆Find the contrast between the humble Franciscan friar and the astonished pope — Murillo stages a visual argument about the source of true sanctity.
- ◆Observe the North Carolina Museum of Art provenance — an early work from around 1645, before Murillo developed his full atmospheric style.
