Artwork
Saint Francis Receiving the Stigmata
Saint Francis Receiving the Stigmata is a print by the Renaissance artist Niccolo Boldrini. It dates from 1540 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art. The print depicts Saint Francis kneeling in a forest as a radiant sunburst pierces the sky, sending shafts of light toward his figure.
About this work
Overview
The print depicts Saint Francis kneeling in a forest as a radiant sunburst pierces the sky, sending shafts of light toward his figure. The surrounding trees appear to lean inward, and small deer are visible in the shadows, creating a vivid natural setting for the saint’s mystical experience.
Subject & Meaning
The image illustrates the moment Francis of Assisi receives the stigmata, the wounds of Christ, during an ecstatic vision in the wilderness. Christian tradition emphasizes his years of hermitic poverty, and the work uses the forest to underscore the saint’s communion with nature and the divine.
Technique & Style
Executed in the Venetian printmaking tradition, the composition relies on strong diagonal lines that guide the eye from the upper‑right sunburst to the kneeling figure. Contrasting light and dark areas create a chiaroscuro effect, enhancing the sense of spiritual illumination against the dark foliage.
Context
Created by the Venetian engraver Alessandro Boldrini, the print reflects the period’s fascination with natural light and landscape as narrative devices. The emphasis on atmospheric effects aligns with contemporary Venetian painting, where artists such as Titian explored dramatic lighting to convey theological themes.
Artist & collection
Artist
Niccolò Boldrini (c.1500–c.1566) was an Italian engraver of the Renaissance. He was frequently confused with Nicola Vicentino. Boldrini was an engraver on wood, born at Vicenza in the early 16th century, and still…
