Artwork
Saint Francis Receiving the Stigmata
Saint Francis Receiving the Stigmata is an ink print by the Renaissance artist Titian. It dates from 1530 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
- Inscription
- Inscribed:by later hand, lower left verso in graphite: P. II 235.59; by later hand, lower right verso in graphite: 11786 Nicola Boldrini after Titian
About this work
Subject & Meaning
A radiant seraph descends from a cloud above, its rays directed toward the saint, signifying divine favor and the miraculous transmission of the sacred marks.
The print depicts Francis of Assisi kneeling in a wooded landscape while receiving the stigmata, the wounds of Christ, on his hands and feet. A radiant seraph descends from a cloud above, its rays directed toward the saint, signifying divine favor and the miraculous transmission of the sacred marks. The surrounding trees frame the scene, reinforcing the sacred and secluded setting of the event.
The composition emphasizes the saint’s ecstatic reception of the stigmata, a central episode in Franciscan iconography that signals his mystical union with Christ. The landscape’s depth and luminous treatment reflect contemporary Venetian printmaking conventions, underscoring the spiritual and narrative gravity of the moment.
Technique & Style
The work is a woodcut printed on laid paper, measuring 29.5 cm by 43.4 cm. It depicts Francis of Assisi receiving the stigmata within a landscape setting that includes a tree and a solitary figure. The composition balances delicate line work with a muted tonal range, reflecting the print's religious genre and its emphasis on the moment of mystical reception. The piece is housed in the National Gallery of Art, where it was acquired in 2005 from R. M. Light & Co., Inc.
History & Provenance
The print was created by Niccolò Boldrini in 1530 and entered the National Gallery of Art collection in Washington, D.C., where it remains on view. It was previously held by R. M. Light & Co., Inc., in Santa Barbara, and was acquired by the gallery in 2005.
Saint Francis Receiving the Stigmata is held by the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., where it is assigned the accession number NGA 131472. The print was acquired by the museum in 2005 after being purchased from R. M. Light & Co., Inc., located in Santa Barbara.
Overview
Around 1530, Titian produced a woodcut on laid paper titled Saint Francis Receiving the Stigmata. The image captures the moment the Franciscan saint is marked with the wounds of Christ. Executed in the early Renaissance, the print reflects Titian’s engagement with religious subjects beyond his well‑known paintings.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Tiziano Vecellio (Italian:; c. 1488/1490 – 27 August 1576), Latinized as Titianus, hence known in English as Titian ( TISH-ən), was an Italian Renaissance painter. The most important artist of Renaissance Venetian…
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