Artwork
Saint Francis comforted by a Angel
Saint Francis comforted by a Angel is an oil painting by the Early Baroque Italian artist Francesc Ribalta. It dates from 1620 and is held in the collection of the Museo del Prado.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The cross anchors the scene in the central drama of Christian redemption, recalling the stigmata and Francis's identification with Christ's suffering.
The painting depicts Saint Francis of Assisi receiving consolation from an angel during a period of intense spiritual suffering, a recurring episode in Franciscan devotional tradition. The composition centers on the saint's encounter with the divine, expressing the theme of mystical comfort and surrender to God's will. According to the catalogue record, the work depicts a lute, a book, and a cross, instruments of devotion and instruments of the Passion.
The lute suggests celestial music accompanying the angelic visitation, while the open book points to scripture and meditation as the foundation of Francis's faith. The cross anchors the scene in the central drama of Christian redemption, recalling the stigmata and Francis's identification with Christ's suffering. Together, these attributes frame the encounter as both a moment of personal consolation and a meditation on faith, scripture, and sacrifice.
Technique & Style
Created in 1620, Saint Francis comforted by an Angel is an oil painting executed on canvas. The work measures 204 cm in height and 158 cm in width, establishing a substantial scale typical of religious altarpieces. As a religious genre piece by Francesc Ribalta, the composition depicts specific iconographic elements including a lute, a book, and a cross. The medium of oil paint allows for the rendering of these devotional objects within the narrative scene.
History & Provenance
The work was created in 1620 by Francesc Ribalta as an oil painting on canvas, originally depicting Saint Francis receiving consolation from an angel alongside symbolic attributes of a lute, book and cross. It entered the Spanish royal collection under Ferdinand VII of Spain and has remained in the Museo del Prado ever since, where it is displayed in the Royal Palace of Aranjuez.
The painting’s provenance traces a continuous ownership chain from its commission by the Spanish monarchy to its present custodianship at the Prado, establishing its status as a canonical example of Counter‑Reformation religious art.
The painting is held in the collection of the Museo del Prado. Historical records indicate the work was once owned by Ferdinand VII of Spain. While the artwork has been associated with the Royal Palace of Aranjuez in catalog descriptions, its primary institutional home remains the Prado.
The provided sources do not contain specific inventory numbers or a list of public exhibitions for this piece.
Overview
Francesc Ribalta’s early‑Baroque oil painting, Saint Francis comforted by an Angel (1620), presents a solitary figure of the saint seated on a rock, his hands uplifted in prayer. An angel hovers above, playing a lute, while a lamb rests at the saint’s side. The composition is dominated by a dark background illuminated by a soft glow that highlights the faces of both figures.
Context
Ribalta, a leading figure in Spanish Baroque painting, was known for integrating Italian stylistic elements, particularly the dramatic lighting associated with Caravaggio. This work exemplifies that synthesis, situating a traditional Spanish saint within a composition that balances naturalism with spiritual idealism, a hallmark of the period’s religious art.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Francesc Ribalta (2 June 1565 – 12 January 1628), also known as Francisco Ribaltá or de Ribalta, was a Spanish painter of the Baroque period, mostly of religious subjects.
