03201212 Saint Francis cuts Clare Hair
Image: Saint Francis cuts Clare's hair, made between 1787 and 1789 by Antonio Carnicero.
Set in a chapel with a carpeted altar, the scene depicts Saint Clare´s profession as a nun, which marked the founding of the female branch of the Order of Saint Francis, also known as the Clarists. Various friars and women witness the successful event and accompany it with lit votive candles that bring out the passage´s nocturnal character and concentrate the light on their white faces.
On Palm Sunday in 1212, Clare took a bold step on her spiritual path. She renounced her privileged position in the nobility and received the vestments of Francis's followers. Eventually, she made her home at San Damiano in a small church repaired by Francis, just below the city of Assisi. Clare's sister, Agnes, joined her, as did many women in the area. Under God's guidance, Clare created a new path for women, embracing poverty, humility, and charity as companions on their journey.
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.
Comments
Post a Comment