St. Francis (?)

Art Historical Context

This evocative print, tentatively titled *St. Francis (?)**, is a masterful etching and engraving attributed to Theodor Verkruis after the renowned Baroque painter Carlo Maratti Measuring 17 13/16 x 10 1/16 inches, it captures a profound religious scene featuring Saint Francis alongside Christ and the Cross—likely evoking the saint's stigmatization, a pivotal moment in Christian hagiography where Francis received the wounds of the crucifixion. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Drawings and Prints, it entered the collection via the Harris Brisbane Dick Fund in 1947. Maratti (1625–1713), a leading figure in late Roman Baroque art, blended classical grandeur with emotional depth, influencing generations. Verkruis's reproductive print exemplifies 17th-century printmaking techniques: etching for fluid, spontaneous lines and engraving for precise, durable detail. Such prints democratized access to elite paintings, disseminating devotional imagery across Europe during the Counter-Reformation, when saints like Francis symbolized piety and humility. For visitors, this work highlights printmaking's cultural power—turning a grand canvas into an intimate, portable icon. Gaze closely at the intricate cross hatching and textures; they reveal the engraver's skill in translating Maratti's vision into enduring faith.