Elena Rossi
El Greco, born Domenikos Theotokopoulos, was a painter known for his distinctive style of elongated figures and use of colour over form. He produced a significant number of paintings depicting St Francis of Assisi, including Saint Francis of Assisi in Ecstasy, which is estimated to have been created around 1600. El Greco's paintings of St Francis often show the saint in a state of meditation or ecstasy, sometimes receiving the stigmata, with a skull and crucifix nearby. El Greco's portrayal of St Francis's spiritual devotion and asceticism made him a popular subject for artistic commissions during the late sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name of Painting | Saint Francis of Assisi in Ecstasy |
| Artist | El Greco |
| Date | c.1600 |
| Location | El Greco Museum, Toledo |
| Previous Attribution | Work of El Greco |
| Current Attribution | Anonymous 17th-century copy, work by one of his followers, or work from his studio |
| Similar Paintings | Saint Francis in Ecstasy, 1577-1580 (Museo Lázaro Galdiano, Madrid); Saint Francis Receiving the Stigmata, 1578(?) (Diocesan Museum in Siedlce, Siedlce); Saint Francis Receiving the Stigmata, 1580 (Meadows Museum, Dallas); Ecstasy of Saint Francis, 1597-1603 (private collection) |
| Artist's Birthplace | Crete |
| Artist's Full Name | Domenikos Theotokopoulos |
| Artist's Nickname Meaning | "The Greek" |
| Artist's Move to Spain | 1577 |
| Artist's Style | Mannerism (Late Renaissance); Post-Byzantine; elongated figures; colour more important than form |
| Artist's Other Works | Exceptional portraits, landscapes, and mythological subjects; sculpture and architecture |
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What You'll Learn
El Greco's life and career
El Greco, born Doménikos Theotokópoulos, was a Greek painter, sculptor, and architect of the Spanish Renaissance. He was born in 1541 in the village of Fodele or Candia (modern-day Heraklion, Crete), then part of the Republic of Venice, Italy. El Greco was descended from a prosperous urban family and received training as an icon painter of the Cretan school, a leading center of post-Byzantine art. He likely studied the classics of ancient Greece and perhaps Latin classics as well.
In 1570, El Greco moved to Rome, where he created a series of works influenced by his Venetian apprenticeship. He may have returned to Venice around 1575-76 before leaving for Spain. In Rome, he was received as a guest at the Palazzo Farnese, where he mingled with the city's intellectual elite. El Greco substantially altered his style in Rome, seeking to distinguish himself by offering new interpretations of traditional religious themes.
El Greco first appeared in Spain in the spring of 1577, initially in Madrid and later in Toledo, where he would remain for the rest of his life. His first commission in Spain was for the high altar and two lateral alters in the conventual church of Santo Domingo el Antiguo at Toledo (1577-79). His painting for the high altar, "Assumption of the Virgin," marked a new period in his artistic career, showcasing his bold use of color and proportion. This work brought him considerable success in Spain. El Greco's only son, Jorge Manuel, was born in Toledo in 1578, to Doña Jerónima de Las Cuevas, whom El Greco acknowledged but likely never married.
El Greco became a close friend of leading humanists, scholars, and churchmen, including Antonio de Covarrubias, whose portrait he painted. He received several major commissions during his lifetime, including "The Burial of the Count of Orgaz" in 1586, now considered his best-known work. He established a vast and influential studio in Spain, and his works often reflected his patrons' interest in finding a direct relationship with God. El Greco's paintings are known for their mystical energy, with figures appearing to be acted upon by forces beyond human control. His brushstrokes are described as flickering, almost resembling modern abstract painting.
El Greco was famous for his pictures of Saint Francis of Assisi during his lifetime, with several paintings attributed to him on this subject, including "Saint Francis in Ecstasy" (1577-1580) and "Ecstasy of Saint Francis" (1597-1603). The decade from 1597 to 1607 was a period of intense activity for El Greco, and he received his last major commission at the Hospital of Saint John the Baptist in Toledo in 1608. Despite the prominence of his work during his lifetime, he was ridiculed and forgotten soon after his death. However, his work gained newfound appreciation in the 20th century, and he is now regarded as one of the greatest artists of all time.
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Saint Francis of Assisi's life
Saint Francis of Assisi was born into a wealthy family in Italy circa 1181 to a wealthy cloth merchant who owned farmland around Assisi, and a beautiful Frenchwoman. In his youth, he was known for his exuberant love of life, indulging in fine food, wine, and wild celebrations. By age 14, he had left school and become known as a rebellious teenager who frequently drank, partied, and broke the city curfew. He was also known for his charm and vanity.
In 1202, he took part in a war between Assisi and Perugia and was held prisoner for almost a year. Shortly after his release, he had several experiences that shaped his religious conversion. He began receiving visions from God, who commanded him to repair the Christian Church and live in poverty. Consequently, he renounced his worldly goods and family ties to embrace a life of ascetic poverty and devotion to Christ. He took vows of chastity and poverty and went out to spread the word of Christ. He founded the Franciscan Order, which became the largest religious order in the world, including the Poor Clares and the lay Third Order. He formed a frequent subject for artistic commissions during the late sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries, particularly in Italy and Spain.
During his life, he also developed a deep love of nature and animals and is known as the patron saint of ecology, animals, Italy, and the environment. He nursed lepers in the leper colonies near Assisi. He is renowned for several episodes that contributed to his conversion to the apostolic life, including a vision of Christ while he prayed in a grotto near Assisi, and an experience of poverty during a pilgrimage to Rome, where he mingled with beggars before St. Peter's Basilica. He reportedly received a vision in 1224 that left him with the stigmata of Christ—marks resembling the wounds Jesus Christ suffered when he was crucified. He was canonized as a saint of the Roman Catholic Church in 1228 and is one of the most venerated religious figures in Roman Catholic history.
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The Ecstasy of St Francis of Assisi, c.1600
El Greco, born on a Greek island of Crete, trained as a Byzantine icon painter before migrating to Italy, and later, Spain. In Spain, he established a large and influential studio and came to be known as "the Greek". El Greco's paintings often seem to be influenced by forces beyond human control, with his distinct brushstrokes and mystical energy. One of his most famous works is "The Ecstasy of St Francis of Assisi", which was painted circa 1600. This painting is a religious piece, rendered on oil and canvas. It is currently 72 x 55 cm in dimensions and is located in Spain, hanging in the El Greco Museum in Toledo.
"The Ecstasy of St Francis of Assisi" is a Mannerist painting from El Greco's Spanish period. Mannerism is characterised by the rejection of classical ideals of art, instead favouring artificiality and unnatural poses and proportions. The painting depicts St Francis of Assisi, a 12th-century Italian saint who experienced a spiritual transformation as a young man. He renounced his wealth and devoted his life to Christ, founding the Franciscan order of monks. St Francis is often depicted in art leaning forward in prayer, gazing at a carved image of Christ on the cross, with a skull beneath symbolising death and the reminder to live virtuously.
El Greco's painting of St Francis in ecstasy is a lost work, with the piece in the Museo del Prado collection (hanging in the El Greco Museum in Toledo) now believed to be a 17th-century copy, by an anonymous artist, or a work from his studio. There are other paintings of similar scenes attributed to El Greco, including "Saint Francis in Ecstasy" (1577-1580), "Saint Francis Receiving the Stigmata" (1578?) and "Ecstasy of Saint Francis" (1597-1603).
El Greco was well-known for his paintings of Saint Francis of Assisi during his lifetime, with many of these paintings being produced by his assistants. "The Ecstasy of St Francis of Assisi, c.1600" is a notable example of El Greco's oeuvre and his unique style, which continues to captivate and inspire viewers today.
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Saint Francis in Ecstasy, 1577-1580
El Greco, born on the Greek island of Crete, trained as a Byzantine icon painter before migrating to Italy, where he developed a rapturous painterly style. He then moved to Spain in search of work, where he established a vast, influential studio and came to be known as "the Greek." During his lifetime, El Greco was famous for his pictures of Saint Francis of Assisi, many of which were painted entirely by the master's assistants.
One of El Greco's paintings of Saint Francis of Assisi is titled "Saint Francis in Ecstasy." This painting was created between 1577 and 1580 and is currently held in the Museo Lázaro Galdiano in Madrid. The painting depicts Saint Francis in a state of religious ecstasy, possibly receiving the stigmata, as suggested by art historian Millard Meiss.
The composition of "Saint Francis in Ecstasy" is believed to have been influenced by Andrea Mantegna, who was Bellini's brother-in-law. The painting combines oil and tempera paints, possibly influenced by Antonello da Messina. It is signed by Bellini with his name, "IOANNES BELLINVS," on a small, creased tag in the lower left corner.
The original size of "Saint Francis in Ecstasy" has been modified, as evidenced by the continuation of the painting to the end of the panel. However, it is not expected to be much larger than its present size. The painting has undergone detailed cleaning and highly technical assessments, revealing compositional modifications, fingerprints, brushwork, sketching, and the involvement of Bellini's students in its creation.
"Saint Francis in Ecstasy" has a rich history, having been commissioned by Zuan Michiel in the 1480s and later acquired by Taddeo Contarini. It was mentioned in Marco Boschini's dialect poem in 1660, and it remained in the Cormaro Palace until the end of the eighteenth century. The painting travelled from Venice and was offered for sale at Christie's in 1852. It eventually entered the Frick Collection in New York City in 1915, where it is currently displayed.
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Saint Francis Receiving the Stigmata, 1578/1580
El Greco, born on a Greek island of Crete, trained as a Byzantine icon painter before moving to Italy and then Spain, where he established a vast, influential studio and became known as "the Greek". He was famous for his pictures of Saint Francis of Assisi during his lifetime, and Saint Francis Receiving the Stigmata, 1578/1580, is one of his most notable works.
The painting is rectangular in shape with a gold background and a triangular cusp at the top. It depicts St. Francis receiving the stigmata during his prayer on Mount Alverno, with a mix of new and old elements. The landscape includes generic mountains and a lack of proportions, while the chapels on the mount show an attempt at geometrical perspective. The work is characterised by strong chiaroscuro, with shadows emphasising the dramatic nature of the scene.
The subject of the painting, St. Francis of Assisi, was a 12th-century Italian who experienced a spiritual transformation as a young man. He renounced his wealth and devoted his life to Christ, founding the Franciscan order of monks. They took vows of chastity and poverty and spread the word of Christ. St. Francis is said to have received the stigmata, bearing wounds that corresponded to the crucifixion wounds of Jesus Christ. This included scars on his hands, wrists, feet, side, head, and back.
El Greco's painting captures the moment St. Francis receives these wounds during his meditation. The work is a testament to the artist's skill and his ability to convey the mystical and spiritual through his art. Saint Francis Receiving the Stigmata, 1578/1580, is currently housed in the Diocesan Museum in Siedlce, Poland.
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Frequently asked questions
El Greco painted St Francis of Assisi in Ecstasy around 1600.
The painting St Francis of Assisi in Ecstasy is in the collection of the Museo del Prado but hangs in the El Greco Museum in Toledo.
El Greco painted around ten works depicting St Francis of Assisi, including Saint Francis in Ecstasy (1577-1580), Saint Francis Receiving the Stigmata (1578?) and Ecstasy of Saint Francis (1597-1603).
The painting depicts St Francis of Assisi, who founded the Franciscan order of monks, gazing with devotion at a carved image of Christ on the cross. The skull beneath symbolises death and serves as a reminder to live a virtuous life.
El Greco's painting St Francis of Assisi in Ecstasy is a religious painting from the Spanish period, done in oil on canvas. His style has been described as Mannerism (Late Renaissance), with elongated figures and colour taking precedence over form.
