Vission of St Francis Carracci 1583

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The Vision of Saint Francis of Assisi – Ludovico Carracci, c. 1583–1585

Oil on canvas, 103 × 102 cm

Ludovico Carracci, one of the early innovators of emotional religious painting, captures a pivotal mystical moment in the life of Saint Francis. The painting depicts an apparition of the Virgin Mary presenting the Christ Child to the saint, witnessed by one of his followers. Carracci emphasizes the contrast between the heavenly radiance surrounding the Virgin and Child and the nocturnal, moonlit landscape visible on the left, highlighting the spiritual intensity of the encounter.

The composition draws the viewer into the saint’s inner experience: Saint Francis, bathed in divine light, reaches for the Child with reverence and awe, while the surrounding figures observe in devotion. The delicate modeling of the figures, soft yet expressive gestures, and interplay of warm and cool tones convey both intimacy and the miraculous nature of the vision.

Through his treatment of light, color, and composition, Carracci conveys not only the miraculous event but also the emotional and contemplative depth of Saint Francis’s encounter, making this painting a remarkable early example of the artist’s exploration of mystical experience in visual form.

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This image is a public domain image, which means either that copyright has expired in the image or the copyright holder has waived their copyright. Franciscan Gallery charges for the access to high resolution copy of the image. Manually restoration was necessary in order to improve quality, without covering the original image.