St. Francis of Assisi (1182-1226) is the most revered figure in the communion of Christian saints. Francis, who was born into a prosperous merchant class family in the Umbrian city of Assisi, became a beloved figure during his lifetime due to his generosity of spirit and love for all living creatures. Francis grew up surrounded by the great luxuries a wealthy family could afford. As a young man, Francis underwent a spiritual conversion after hearing Christ’s voice while meditating on a crucifix which instructed him to repair God’s house. Embracing poverty as a virtue, Francis took up the modest tunic of a pilgrim or shepherd, and henceforth devoted himself to the service of the Lord. St. Francis is said to have been the first person to receive the stigmata, or the wounds suffered by Christ while stopping to pray during a journey.
Though mocked by those who knew him and the townspeople of Assisi, through his humility and piety, Francis inspired others who admired his saintliness. When he had gathered about a dozen followers, he drew up a plan and set out to Rome to seek the Pope’s blessing. The spirit of poverty was the ethos of the order and his brethren were bound to serve others. The mendicant brotherhood he founded more than eight hundred years ago known as the Franciscans or the Order of Friars Minor, as well as the sisterhood established by another early disciple, Clare of Assisi, known as the Poor Clares, still thrive today to serve the poor.
In the current lot, the unidentified Andean artist focuses on the miracle of Saint Francis as he receives the stigmata, while angels attending to him function as witness to the awe inspiring scene, thus confirming his saintliness before God.