Who painted Saint Filippo Benizzi Healing a Beggar?

Saint Filippo Benizzi Healing a Beggar was painted by Italian 16th Century in 1515.

Where can I see Saint Filippo Benizzi Healing a Beggar?

Saint Filippo Benizzi Healing a Beggar is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is Saint Filippo Benizzi Healing a Beggar?

Saint Filippo Benizzi Healing a Beggar is associated with Renaissance.

Artwork

Saint Filippo Benizzi Healing a Beggar

Italian 16th Century , 1515

Saint Filippo Benizzi Healing a Beggar is an ink print by the Renaissance artist Italian 16th Century. It dates from 1515 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

Inscription: Inscribed:recto: none; verso: at center right in brown ink in later hand: 53 [written sideways]; at lower center in graphite in later hand: c. 29674 / Hind I. 218. 11. (Plate 319) / Pass. V, 19,28.; at bottom left in graphite in later hand 60
Markings: Marked:recto: none; verso: Friedrich Quiring (Lugt L.1041c) and National Gallery of Art

About this work

Overview

The work is an engraving on laid paper titled Saint Filippo Benizzi Healing a Beggar. It presents a densely populated scene set against a rugged landscape, with a central, haloed figure in robes holding a staff. Around him, a mixture of kneeling and standing figures form small groups, while distant trees and structures complete the composition.

Subject & Meaning

The central figure is identified as Saint Filippo Benizzi, a 13th‑century Franciscan known for his charitable deeds. The gathering of supplicants and the act of reaching toward the saint suggest a miraculous healing episode, emphasizing themes of compassion and divine intercession.

Technique & Style

Executed through engraving, the image relies on fine, intersecting lines and cross‑hatching to model volume and texture. The artist renders the folds of clothing, the roughness of rock, and the foliage with meticulous linear detail, creating a sense of depth despite the monochrome medium.

Context

The print belongs to a tradition of devotional imagery circulated in the early modern period, intended for private contemplation or public display. Its emphasis on a specific saint’s miracle aligns with the Counter‑Reformation’s focus on exemplars of piety and the power of saints to intercede for the faithful.