Saint Francis 1430 Lorenzo di Bicci
Image: St. Francis of Assisi Receiving the Stigmata (1430), by Lorenzo di Bicci
The Stigmatization of Saint Francis, Lorenzo di Bicci, c. 1420–1430
This predella panel by Lorenzo di Bicci depicts the moment in the summer of 1224 when Saint Francis received the stigmata during a retreat on Mount Della Verna near Assisi. According to tradition, after weeks of fervent prayer and contemplation, Francis beheld a vision of Christ appearing as a winged seraph upon a cross. In this painting, Christ descends from the heavens, radiant and suspended in mid-air, as mystical rays of light extend from His body to the hands, feet, and side of Francis, impressing upon him the wounds of the Crucifixion.
The scene unfolds atop the rocky slopes of Mount Della Verna, here shown with a small church and monastery nestled at the summit, anchoring the miracle to a specific sacred geography. The composition is notably colorful: vivid blues and warm yellows contrast with the cool gray tones of the rock formations, bringing depth and vitality to the setting. Gold leaf highlights the halos surrounding Christ and Francis, as well as the divine rays that connect them, emphasizing the holy nature of the event and drawing the viewer’s eye to the spiritual exchange taking place.
Behind Francis, a follower reacts with astonishment, throwing up his hands at the sight of the miracle. This detail reinforces the extraordinary nature of the vision and anchors the event in lived human experience. The painting originally formed part of a predella, a horizontal row of narrative scenes beneath a larger altarpiece, and it still retains its original frame. Lorenzo di Bicci, enrolled in the Florentine painters’ guild, founded one of the city’s most active workshops. His artistic legacy continued through his son and, most prominently, his grandson Neri di Bicci, under whom the family workshop experienced great prosperity and widespread patronage across all levels of Florentine society.
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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