Who painted Saint Francis of Assisi Preaching to the Animals?

Saint Francis of Assisi Preaching to the Animals was painted by Johannes Siberechts in 1666.

Where can I see Saint Francis of Assisi Preaching to the Animals?

Saint Francis of Assisi Preaching to the Animals is held by Royal Museum of Fine Arts Antwerp.

What movement is Saint Francis of Assisi Preaching to the Animals?

Saint Francis of Assisi Preaching to the Animals is associated with Dutch Golden Age.

Can I buy a print of Saint Francis of Assisi Preaching to the Animals?

Museum-quality prints of Saint Francis of Assisi Preaching to the Animals are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.

Artwork

Saint Francis of Assisi Preaching to the Animals

Johannes Siberechts , 1666

Saint Francis of Assisi Preaching to the Animals is an oil painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Johannes Siberechts. It dates from 1666 and is held in the collection of the Royal Museum of Fine Arts Antwerp.

About this work

Overview

Created in 1666 by the Flemish painter Johannes Siberechts, this oil painting depicts a pastoral scene in which a figure resembling Saint Francis addresses a gathering of animals. Set in a forest clearing beneath a dominant tree, the composition balances human and animal participants, emphasizing a harmonious interaction between the natural world and spiritual instruction.

Subject & Meaning

The central figure, clothed in a brown habit, gestures upward while a companion sits nearby, suggesting a sermon directed toward the surrounding fauna. Cattle, sheep, various birds and a vividly colored orange parrot appear attentive, embodying the hagiographic motif of Saint Francis’s reputed ability to communicate with creatures and underscoring themes of humility and universal kinship.

Technique & Style

The composition’s depth is achieved through atmospheric perspective, with rolling hills receding behind the densely packed trees.

Siberechts employs a restrained palette typical of mid‑17th‑century Flemish landscape painting, rendering foliage with layered greens and occasional bare branches. The animal forms are rendered with careful observation, while the bright parrot provides a focal point through saturated hues. The composition’s depth is achieved through atmospheric perspective, with rolling hills receding behind the densely packed trees.

History & Provenance

The work belongs to the Dutch Golden Age period, reflecting Siberechts’s early focus on rural scenes before his later relocation to England. It entered the collection of the Royal Museum of Fine Arts Antwerp, where it remains part of the museum’s holdings of 17th‑century Flemish art.

Context

During the 1660s, Flemish artists often combined religious narratives with detailed depictions of everyday countryside life. Siberechts’s painting aligns with this tradition, integrating a saintly figure into a realistic agrarian setting, thereby linking devotional content with the visual culture of the Flemish countryside.

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Artist & collection

Artist

Johannes Siberechts

Jan Siberechts (1627–1703) was a Flemish landscape painter who, after a successful career in Antwerp, emigrated in the latter part of his life to England.