Vision of Saint Francis Carracci 1602
Vision of Saint Francis of Assisi – Ludovico Carracci, c. 1601–1603
This later version of Ludovico Carracci’s Vision of Saint Francis was likely commissioned by Luigi Zambeccari around 1600–1601 and first recorded on the altar of the Zambeccari family chapel in Bologna. The painting depicts Saint Francis in a mystical vision, kneeling in devotion as he beholds the Virgin Mary and the Christ Child, with Christ extending his stigmatised hand toward Francis, echoing the famous episode at La Verna. The Virgin points to herself, recalling her maternal suffering, while Christ seems to include Francis among those who “suffered with him” during the Passion.
Carracci combines two episodes from the Little Flowers of Saint Francis, merging them into a contemplative reflection on Francis’ imitatio Christi – his complete identification with Christ’s suffering. The painting emphasizes Francis’ humility and saintly devotion, positioning him in the lower tier of the composition to underscore his distinct status within the theological hierarchy. Ludovico’s treatment of light and shadow, as well as the gestures of the figures, dramatizes the mystical and devotional intensity of the scene.
This work is notable not only for its theological complexity but also for its historical trajectory. After remaining with the Zambeccari family, it eventually reached the Spanish royal collection, later appearing in the Casita del Príncipe at El Escorial and the Aranjuez Palace. A reduced-scale copy on copper from c. 1640 is preserved in the Galleria Spada in Rome.
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.
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