Spanish school, 18th century. "Saint Francis of Assisi". Oil on canvas. Re-coloured. Measurements: 70 x 51 cm; 83 x 65 cm (frame). In this sober and devotional scene, the painter represents St. Francis in a forest clearing. The saint has fallen asleep while praying, and some cherubs wearing a crown of flowers watch over his dreams. His left hand rests on the skull, symbolising the fleetingness of life, while in front of him the Scriptures are open. The thick brushstroke defines a rounded figure of profound humanity, with great economy of colour, limited to the range of browns, which only serves to emphasise the message of humility and mystical simplicity that the saint advocated throughout his life. A twilight light emerges from the distance, modelling the elements of the landscape with a strong chiaroscuro. Saint Francis (Assisi, Italy, 1182 - 1226) was the son of a wealthy Italian merchant. Baptised John, he soon became known as "Francesco" (the little Frenchman), because his mother came from that country. His youth was joyful and carefree until the age of twenty-five, when he changed completely and began to dedicate himself to the service of God, practising the Gospel ideal: purity, detachment and joy in peace. Francesco renounced the great inheritance he had received from his parents and decided to live poorly, giving the example of an authentic Christian. He soon had several young disciples, called by the saint "order of the Friars Minor". In 1210, Pope Innocent III granted them the foundation of the new order and encouraged them in their evangelical work. During a retreat on the mountain, Christ appeared to him, and legend has it that rays came out of his wounds, causing Francis various stigmata. He was a legendary figure during his lifetime, considered a living relic.