The Stigmatisation of Saint Francis
- Artist: Giovanni Battista Tiepolo
- Date: 1767
- Medium: oil on canvas
- Museum: The Courtauld Gallery
- Collection record: The Courtauld Gallery website
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About this artwork
This is the “The Stigmatisation of Saint Francis” by Giovanni Battista Tiepolo. Painted in 1767, it’s an oil on canvas that shows Tiepolo’s final major commission before he retired from large public works. The image was a preparatory sketch for one of the seven altarpieces he created for the Church of San Pascual in Aranjuez, Spain. The church itself was a flagship project of King Charles III, who reigned from 1759 to 1788, and it was built specifically for the barefoot Franciscans—friars who lived a life of extreme austerity.
Tiepolo chose subjects that echoed this austere spirituality. In this work, the Stigmatisation of Saint Francis is rendered with dramatic chiaroscuro, the saint’s face illuminated against a dark background, emphasizing the mystical experience. The composition reflects the 18th‑century Baroque style but also hints at the emerging Rococo lightness that would later dominate Spanish tastes. After a brief run in the church, the king deemed the pieces too old‑fashioned and had them removed, so they were only displayed for a few years.
The painting offers a glimpse into a transitional moment in Spanish art, where an Italian master’s hand was brought to a royal Spanish commission, yet quickly replaced by newer, more fashionable styles.
See it in person
The Stigmatisation of Saint Francis hangs in The Courtauld Gallery at Somerset House, London. Point your phone at any artwork there and audioguide.london plays a free audio guide in six languages — no app download needed.
