The artwork “St. Francis of Assisi Receiving the Stigmata” was masterfully crafted by Peter Paul Rubens around 1635. Employing oil on canvas, Rubens conveyed the fervent religiosity and drama characteristic of the Baroque period. The artwork measures 364 by 195 centimeters and stands as a testament to religious painting. It is currently housed at the Museum of Fine Arts in Ghent, Belgium.
In this striking composition, St. Francis of Assisi is depicted at the pivotal moment of receiving the stigmata—marks resembling the wounds of Christ sustained during the crucifixion. The saint is shown kneeling in a rocky terrain, with his gaze directed upwards towards a vision of a seraph, there is an angelic figure, compiling six wings, part of the seraph, that beams the stigmata down onto Francis. This supernatural encounter is set against a tumultuous sky that amplifies the drama of the moment.
Rubens’s exceptional attention to detail is evident in the naturalistic rendering of textures, from the roughness of the stones beneath St. Francis to the softness of the seraph’s plumage. The play of light and shadow enhances the three-dimensionality of the forms and imbues the scene with a dynamic energy. Moreover, the intense emotion captured in the saint’s expression reflects the spiritual intensity of his experience. This artwork remains a compelling representation of religious fervor and Baroque artistic achievements.
