St. Francis of Assisi Receiving the Stigmatac. 1430 · Study 1916.787

Context from the museum

Although born into a wealthy merchant family, St. Francis (1181-1226) rejected all wordly goods, dedicating himself to chastity, humility, and selfless acts of kindness. By the time of his death, the order of friars he founded had expanded throughout Europe. In the summer of 1224, Francis visited a mountain retreat at La Verna near Assisi. After weeks of intense prayer, an angel on a cross appeared. The painter shows mystical rays of light emanating from the angel and leaving Francis with stigmata, wounds resembling those Christ suffered at the time of his crucifixion. Behind the saint, a follower throws up his hands in amazement. This predella panel, which was mounted in a row of related scenes below a larger painting, retains its original frame.

Museum description reproduced from its CC0 open-access record. Read the original catalog entry.

Read the dimensions before the image

The selected unframed measurement for St. Francis of Assisi Receiving the Stigmata is 27 cm wide and 17.9 cm high, equivalent to approximately 10.6 × 7.0 inches. Dividing width by height gives a format ratio of 1.51:1. The rectangular bounding area is 0.05 square meters; it describes the measured footprint, not the amount of paint or the monetary value.

On an illustrative 300 cm wall, the recorded width occupies 9.0% of the span before adding a frame. A centered placement leaves approximately 136.5 cm on each side before adding a frame. These are calculations by Physical Art For Crypto using museum measurements. They are not the museum’s display recommendations.

Questions to bring to your own collection

With St. Francis of Assisi Receiving the Stigmata in view, identify one feature you can point to, then distinguish what the museum records from your personal response. Keep its medium, tempera and gold on wood, in your notes when comparing contemporary works.

• Which part of this horizontal composition catches your eye first?
• Would a 27 cm width still suit the space after allowing for furniture and a frame?
• What surface detail would you need to see in person or in a close photograph?