Here we have an interesting painting by the Baroque Master Giovanni Baglioni. The painting depicts St. Francis in a state of spiritual ecstasy and in attendance with angels.
In the standard manner of great Baroque painting the is a lot of attention to detail and to larger than life figures. For if you look at this piece you will notice immediately that the figures are almost falling out of the frame that contains the picture. Further, in keeping with Baroque tradition there is attention to movement. The movement the you see here is St. Francis collapsing from a heightened spiritual encounter and being supported by angels in the nick of time to avoid St. Francis from injury.
If you look carefully you will see that St. Francis has his hand upon a skull, this is an old symbol in dealing with spirituality and dead. St Francis even though he is looking away from the viewer is the focus of the painting. Adding to the drama of the scene is the exquisite use of chiaroscuro, the technique for using high contrast of lighting and imagery developed by Caravaggio.
Now take a look at the skin tones of the angels, the one in the back has more light pouring on him and thus his skin tone is lighter, in contrast the angel on the right holding St. Francis is darker in tone, but notice that even the light spot on the arm is different than that of the angel in the back, also the angel on the right has a ruddy face whereas the other does not. It would stand to reason that since the angel on the right is in labor holding up St. Francis there is more blood rushing through his veins, hence the over all ruddy look.
Important in the designed and composition of the work is the way the figures are painted. To keep your eye in the painting Baroque masters used the technique of circular motion. Notice that the arm of the angel on the right is curved and points to the skull this then leads your eye up the shaft of the arrow to the hand of the angel in the back. The hand of the background angel directs our eyes towards his left hand (notice the extended index finger) which leads us right to the center of the painting — St. Francis’ face. The key here is motion, if you think in terms of stage action then you are thinking Baroque!
Stephen F. Condren — Artist
#Ecstasy #Francis #Giovanni #Baglioni
