Saint Francis Holding a Crucifix
n.d.
Medium
Red chalk on buff laid paper
Dimensions
34.5 × 18.7 cm (13 5/8 × 7 3/8 in.)
Classification
chalk
Department
Prints and Drawings
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
81141
Art Historical Context
Edme Bouchardon, a French sculptor of the 18th century and a key figure in the neoclassical movement, created this poignant drawing of *Saint Francis Holding a Cruc*. Dated undated (n.d.), it captures the humble saint—renowned for his devotion, stigmata, and affinity for nature—in a moment of quiet reverence, clutching the crucifix that symbolizes his profound faith. Bouchardon, who rose to prominence under Louis XV with grand public commissions like the Fontaine des Qu-Saisons, often produced such preparatory sketches to refine his mastery of human form and emotion. Rendered in red chalk (sa...
About the Artist
Edme Bouchardon · 1698–1762
Born 29 May 1698; died 27 July 1762. Bouchardon was a student of Guillaume Coustou, and won the prix de Rome in 1722. He spent ten years (1722-1732) in Rome, Italy working on various projects for Pope Clement XII. In 1732 Bouchardon was recalled to Paris and named sculptor to the king. Bouchardon became a professor at the Académie Royale in 1746. He worked on an equestrian monument of Louis XV, Ki...