Priya Kapoor
El Greco, or Domenikos Theotokopoulos, created more than 40 depictions of St Francis of Assisi, the young, wealthy son of a rich merchant who renounced his worldly possessions and devoted his life to Christ. El Greco's paintings of St Francis are characterised by their use of colour and light, and their expression of the artist's religious views. They are also notable for their departure from Italian works on the same subject. El Greco's St Francis paintings include Saint Francis Venerating the Crucifix (c. 1595), Saint Francis of Assisi in Ecstasy (1600), and St. Andrew and St. Francis (1604). Saint Francis Venerating the Crucifix is held by the Legion of Honor in San Francisco, while Saint Francis of Assisi in Ecstasy is thought to be a lost painting, with a copy hanging in the El Greco Museum in Toledo. St. Andrew and St. Francis is housed at the Museo del Prado in Madrid.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Artist | El Greco (Domenikos Theotokopoulos) |
| Year of Creation | 1595 |
| Subject | Saint Francis of Assisi |
| Current Location | Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco |
| Medium | Oil on Canvas |
| Dimensions | N/A |
| Style | Mannerism |
| Movement | Late Renaissance |
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What You'll Learn
El Greco's St Francis paintings in the Fine Arts Museums, San Francisco
El Greco, born on the Greek island of Crete, migrated to Italy and then to Spain, where he established a vast and influential studio and came to be known as "the Greek". His Spanish patrons were interested in finding a direct relationship with God, which is perfectly evoked by his portrayal of St Francis.
El Greco's Saint Francis Venerating the Crucifix (ca. 1595) is one of his greatest masterpieces and is held in the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco. In this painting, the saint, dressed in a mended habit, kneels before a crucifix. The skull beneath it symbolizes death and serves as a reminder to live a virtuous life. The brushstrokes in this painting are said to be flickering across the surface of the canvas, almost like a modern abstract painter. This is a way to communicate the mystical energy that seems to be surging through the religious figures that El Greco depicts.
In 2014, to commemorate the 400th anniversary of El Greco's death, the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco hung this painting alongside two other works by El Greco: Saint John the Baptist (ca. 1600) and Saint Peter (ca. 1605–1610). These three paintings were supplemented by a selection of drawings by the Spanish-born painter Jusepe de Ribera (1591–1652) from the Museums' Achenbach Foundation for Graphic Arts.
Saint Francis Venerating the Crucifix was gifted to the museum by the Kress Foundation in 1961 to honour the city, which is named for this saint.
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St Francis Venerating the Crucifix, c.1595
The painting depicts St Francis of Assisi kneeling in prayer before a crucifix. The saint is dressed in a mended habit, and the skull beneath the crucifix symbolizes death and serves as a reminder to live a virtuous life.
El Greco, born on the Greek island of Crete, trained as a Byzantine icon painter before migrating to Italy and then Spain, where he established a vast and influential studio. He became known as "the Greek". His Spanish patrons were interested in finding a direct relationship with God, which is reflected in this portrayal of St Francis.
Curator Isabella Lores Chavez has commented on El Greco's distinctive style:
> "El Greco's paintings often look like they are being acted upon by forces beyond our human control. His brushstrokes are flickering across the surface of the canvas, almost like a modern abstract painter. And part of it is a way to communicate that mystical energy that seems to be surging through these religious figures that he depicts."
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Saint Francis of Assisi in Ecstasy, c.1600
El Greco's "Saint Francis of Assisi in Ecstasy" is a lost painting, with a c.1600 work in the collection of the Museo del Prado in Madrid, Spain, once thought to be the original. However, it is now believed to be a 17th-century copy, possibly by one of his followers or from his studio. The painting hangs in the El Greco Museum in Toledo, Spain.
The painting depicts Saint Francis of Assisi in a state of mystical ecstasy, leaning on a boulder. The saint is comforted by a musician angel, as described in the book "The Little Flowers of Saint Francis." This work belongs to the artist's second period in Antwerp, where he lived from 1627 to 1632 before relocating to England.
The style of the painting combines the plastic fluidity El Greco learned in Italy with the dramatic tension of his religious paintings. The composition includes symbolic elements such as a skull, a cross, and a book, representing the saint's meditation on death.
The painting was acquired by Felipe IV at an auction of the belongings of King Charles I of England in 1651. It has been part of various collections over the years, including the Collection of the VI Marquis of El Carpio in Madrid and the Garden of San Joaquín.
Other paintings with similar scenes attributed to El Greco include "Saint Francis in Ecstasy" (1577-1580) at the Museo Lázaro Galdiano in Madrid, "Saint Francis Receiving the Stigmata" (1578?) at the Diocesan Museum in Siedlce, and "Ecstasy of Saint Francis" (1597-1603) in a private collection.
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St Andrew and St Francis, c.1587-97
El Greco's "St Andrew and St Francis" is a religious painting executed in oil on canvas. It was created sometime between 1587 and 1597, likely in 1595, and is currently housed at the Museo del Prado in Madrid, Spain. The painting is a product of the Mannerism art movement, which thrived during the Late Renaissance.
The artwork depicts two significant figures of Christian tradition, Saint Andrew and Saint Francis of Assisi, juxtaposed within the same frame. Saint Andrew, on the left, holds the diagonal cross often associated with his martyrdom. His gaze is turned slightly downwards, and his fingers gently rest upon the symbol of his faith and sacrifice. On the right stands Saint Francis, dressed in the customary brown robe of the Franciscan order, with his hands crossed over his chest in a gesture of humility and devotion.
The two saints are portrayed with elongated grace, their forms both spiritual and subtly distorted to emphasize emotional intensity over naturalistic representation. The background is minimal, with a cloudy sky setting a somber and contemplative mood. The ethereal atmosphere heightens the religious fervor and directs attention to the interplay between the two holy figures.
The painting is a distinguished piece by El Greco, showcasing his unique style and approach to form and spirituality. It demonstrates his preference for richer colours and freer paint handling, influenced by Venetian artists such as Titian and Tintoretto.
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El Greco's Spanish period
El Greco, born Doménikos Theotokópoulos, was a Greek painter, sculptor, and architect of the Spanish Renaissance. He was born in 1541 in the Kingdom of Candia (modern Crete), which was then a part of the Republic of Venice, Italy. He trained as a Byzantine icon painter and travelled to Venice in 1567 to master Renaissance painting. By 1568, he was living in Venice, and in 1570, he moved to Rome, where he worked until 1576.
In Rome, El Greco earned the respect of some intellectuals but also faced hostility from certain art critics. He joined the painter's academy and set up shop, taking on at least one assistant. However, he failed to receive any commissions for altarpieces, and his reputation was based on occasional commissions for portraits and small-scale devotional paintings. El Greco's criticism of Michelangelo's abilities as a painter may have contributed to his ostracization from the Roman art establishment.
In 1576, El Greco moved to Madrid, Spain, in search of work. His bid for royal patronage from Philip II failed, and it was only when he settled in Toledo that he found success. In Toledo, El Greco found a circle of intellectual friends and patrons, including Diego de Castilla, dean of Toledo Cathedral. He received commissions for altarpieces and produced some of his most ambitious masterpieces, such as "The Burial of the Count of Orgaz", which immortalizes a local legend in Toledo.
El Greco's time in Toledo was crucial for the development of his mature style, and he became deeply immersed in the religious environment of Spain. His works reflected the devotional intensity of Roman Catholic Spain during the period of the Counter-Reformation. El Greco's paintings often depict religious figures with a sense of mystical energy, characterized by flickering brushstrokes that resemble modern abstract painting.
El Greco's Spanish patrons sought a direct relationship with God, which his paintings of Saint Francis, such as "Saint Francis Venerating the Crucifix" (ca. 1595), evoked. This painting, along with "Saint John the Baptist" (ca. 1600) and "Saint Peter" (ca. 1605-1610), are considered some of El Greco's greatest masterpieces.
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Frequently asked questions
El Greco's St Francis paintings are spread out across the world. Some are in museums, such as the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, the El Greco Museum in Toledo, the Museo del Prado in Madrid, the Meadows Museum in Dallas, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. Others are in private collections.
El Greco's St Francis paintings include Saint Francis Venerating the Crucifix (c. 1595), Saint Francis of Assisi in Ecstasy (1600)—which is now thought to be lost—Saint Francis in Ecstasy (1577-1580), Saint Francis Receiving the Stigmata (1578 or 1580), Ecstasy of Saint Francis (1597-1603), and St. Andrew and St. Francis (1587-97 or 1604).
El Greco created more than 40 different representations of Saint Francis.
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