Saint Francis of Assisi review: exhibition chronicles his presence in art
Small, free show at the National Gallery is ‘enrapturing’ and ‘fascinating’
It has been argued that the Italian Renaissance was “ignited by a single spark in the form of one man”, said Harry Seymour on Air Mail: Saint Francis of Assisi. Born into wealth in Umbria around 1181, Francis experienced a vision that led him to swap his “lavish lifestyle” for one of “poverty and preaching”. He travelled widely across Italy and the Holy Land, establishing his Franciscan Order on “the pillars of penury, peace and environmentalism”. Some art historians suggest that the way Francis preached to the poor – in the Italian vernacular, stressing Christ’s humanity – led painters to favour “more realistic, less divine depictions of his body”, which laid the foundations for an artistic revolution.
At any rate, there’s no doubting his impact on the visual arts. It is estimated that within a century of his death in 1226, artists had created a “staggering” 20,000 images of the saint; we can only guess at the number produced since. This small, free exhibition chronicles his presence in art, from his lifetime to the present day. Bringing together paintings, manuscripts, relics and contemporary work, it explores our “enduring fascination” with Francis.
At its best, this is a “serious, thoughtful, grown-up show”, said Laura Freeman in The Times. Its centrepiece is a room hung with seven panels depicting the life of Saint Francis, created in the 15th century by the Sienese artist Sassetta. These extraordinary pieces give us a tangible sense of everything that Francis renounced: “fine raiment, marble daises, glass windows, all the trappings of civilised life”. Disappointingly, however, these “delectable scenes” provide some of the few splashes of colour in an exhibition that is otherwise “drowning in brown”. Paintings of Francis by masters including Zurbarán, Murillo and El Greco might be “magnificent” seen in isolation. Collected together, their murky palettes “make a slog out of sainthood”.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
There are some strange selections here, said Jonathan Jones in The Guardian. One might ask, for instance, whether it was really necessary to include an Antony Gormley figure “spreading its arms and gazing heavenward”; and a Marvel comic book entitled “Francis, Brother of the Universe” strikes an odd note. Yet it hardly matters, such is the overall quality of this “enrapturing” show. We see so many extraordinary things: “a silvered horn given to Francis as a symbol of peace by Sultan al-Malik al-Kamil”; a “brown sackcloth habit and hempen belt” said to have been worn by the saint himself; and an illuminated manuscript from medieval England, portraying Francis “bowed down to speak to an attentive gathering of birds”. Best of all is Caravaggio’s “Saint Francis of Assisi in Ecstasy”, which sees him falling into the arms of an angel. It’s a work that pushes what is already a “fascinating” exhibition “into realms of transcendence”. Do not miss it.
National Gallery, London WC2 (020-7747 2885, nationalgallery.org.uk). Until 30 July. Free entry
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
'Trump is ruled in contempt'
Today's Newspapers A roundup of the headlines from the US front pages
By The Week Staff Published
-
Hainault sword attack: police hunt for motive
Speed Read Mental health is key line of inquiry, as detectives prepare to interview suspect
By Arion McNicoll, The Week UK Published
-
Shardlake: a 'tightly plotted, gorgeously atmospheric piece of television'
The Week Recommends Arthur Hughes captivates in this 'eminently watchable' Tudor murder mystery
By Irenie Forshaw, The Week UK Published
-
Daniel Wallace's 5 favorite books that should not be forgotten
Feature The author recommends works by Italo Calvino, Evan S. Connell, and more
By The Week US Published
-
6 picturesque homes in Arizona
Feature Featuring a glass elevator in Sedona and a grotto waterfall in Paradise Valley
By The Week Staff Published
-
Silversea cruise review: a Central and North American adventure
The Week Recommends An incredible journey featuring cultural exploration, cooking classes, comfort and more
By Yasemen Kaner-White Published
-
Baffin Island: looking for narwhal in Arctic Canada
The Week Recommends An exploration of this island between mainland Canada and Greenland is ideal for the adventurous at heart
By The Week UK Published
-
Knife: Salman Rushdie's 'mesmeric memoir' of brutal attack
The Week Recommends The author's account of ordeal which cost him his eye is both 'scary and heartwarming'
By The Week Staff Published
-
Sarah Langan recommends 6 women-centric horror books
Feature The horror novelist recommends works by Stephen King, Gillian Flynn, and more
By The Week US Published
-
6 spacious homes for car lovers
Feature Featuring a 14-car showroom in Oregon and a Bentley-style apartment in Florida
By The Week Staff Published
-
6 serene homes in Vermont
Features Featuring a four-level Shaker barn in Hartland and a Scandinavian-inspired home in Stowe
By The Week US Published