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| St Francis at the moment of receiving stigmata |
The Stigmata of St Francis – Bartolomeo Della Gatta, c. 1487
St Francis was the patron saint of animals, and depictions of him are often full of animals, yet this owl seems to be the only animal featured prominently. There are two horses in the background.
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| A barn owl averts its gaze form the sacred moment |
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| The top of the cross is above the edge of the painting |
Here is a close up image of the top edge of the painting. Christ has been painted right up near the top edge in a way that hides his hands and the top of the cross. As an illustrator, this surprises me. Not sure of the reason, it seems like a mistake on the part of the artist.
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3 comments:
That red bit must be a creative way of depicting
the combined Christ-seraph being that´s part of this vision.
And it seems in most representations it´s more evident, with six
wings painted on the christ on the cross figure.
Seraphs are "fiery with passion for God"(Isiah) and hence red I guess.
They are also described as, ahem... serpents (Book of Enoch).
The other monk is Leo follower of st F´s.
(all according to the www, not me. But what´s that cut down tree?).
(Don´t know about the owl. The bible shares the info, though, you shouldn´t
eat them, they´re detestable. Good to know if you get a hankering.)
The 'laser beams' is a visual representation of Jesus giving the stigmata to St. Francis. Each point of the 'laser beam' pierce St. Francis at each spot of the stigmata.
Red blob... an angel. A messenger.
I would like to know why the owl is not watching St. Francis receiving the stigmata.
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