Saint Francis of Assisi is one of the most popular saints in history. Born in Assisi, in the center of the Italian peninsula, at the end of the 12th century, in a rich family of merchants. An abundance that would have little to do with the poverty in which he decided to live, of his own free will, for the rest of his life.
Saint Francis founded the Order of Friars Minorthe Franciscan order, one of the most important orders of mendicant friars in history. Beside your follower Clare of Assisiwho would also be declared a saint, founded the Second Order of Saint Francisthat of the Poor Clare sisters. And finally the Third Ordermade up of lay people who wanted to experience Franciscan spirituality up close.
Saint Francis of Assisi is one of the great inspirations of Jorge Mario Bergoglio. In fact, he chose the name Francis in his honor when he was elected Pope in 2013.
But the Pope is not the only person who has been inspired by the Italian saint. Numerous artists throughout history have captured the figure of the poverelloas it is traditionally known.
In fact, is one of the most represented religious figures in the Prado Museum, appearing in up to 173 works of art in the Madrid art gallery. you know it well Luis Esteban Larra, Franciscan conventual and journalist who has just published the book Saint Francis of Assisi in the Prado Museumwhich publishes PPC.
Francis of Assisi “continues to touch the hearts of people, continues to speak of the essential: of how superfluous wealth is, focusing on how fundamental poverty is; of the simplicity of nature; continues to call on all of us to work for peace, to build bridges and not walls, to shorten distances; because he continues to invite us to a personal encounter with God and with the Crucified… all this makes him an eternal man, 800 years later“, explained the conventual Franciscan.
“Anyone can see on the Prado Museum website the number of paintings that only in the Madrid art gallery have Francisco de Asís as the main protagonist or accompanied by some other saint. All the great authors have portrayed Francis. Especially in very representative scenes of his life and, especially, in the event that occurred two years after his death, which was the stigmatization, the impression of the marks of the Crucified on his body, on his hands, on his feet and on his side. That scene, which marked so much in baroque spirituality, is perhaps the most represented image”, affirmed Luis Esteban Larra.
The journalist presents in his book twelve of those paintings that hang on the walls of the Prado, by such famous authors as Murillo, Zurbarán or El Greco. They all have in common “the presentation of the face of Francis. What these great painters do is get into the character of Francisco at that moment they portray. Sometimes with absolutely clear and sharp tones, and other times through that chiaroscuro typical of this Caravaggism that make us intuit what Francis has just received, what experience he is living or what attitude he invites us to carry out”, assures the conventual Franciscan.
“Let’s not forget that these paintings are exposed in a cultural place, but they were painted for a church, for a cloister or for a convent, and they were painted to invite piety of those who passed by and discovered Francisco’s face, the posture of his hands, in that kneeling attitude, in the objects that appear painted, such as the Gospel, a glass bottle imitating purity… in all of them he is inviting us to imitate the saint. to contemplate, but I what I wanted is to turn the Prado Museum into not only a cultural space but also a place of worshipso that those people who want to get closer to Francisco can pray with him and like him”, concludes Luis Esteban Larra.
“Saint Francis of Assisi is one of the most represented characters in the Prado Museum”