St. Francis Receiving the Stigmata
1611–78
Medium
Pen and brown ink, brush and gray wash, over black and red chalk on beige paper. Lined. Ground line and left border line in black chalk
Dimensions
9-9/16 x 6-15/16 in. (24.3 x 17.7 cm)
Classification
Drawings
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Cornelius Vanderbilt, 1880
Accession Number
80.3.493
Tags
Art Historical Context
This evocative drawing by Spanish Baroque artist Antonio de Pereda captures the pivotal moment when Saint Francis of Assisi receives the stigmata—the wounds of Christ—while in ecstatic prayer. Created in the 17th century during the height of the Counter-Reformation, the work reflects the era’s deep emphasis on personal devotion and mystical experience, themes that resonated strongly in Catholic Spain. Pereda, known for his religious compositions and meticulous still lifes, brings a sense of intimate drama to the scene through the saint’s rapt expression and the presence of angels and a radiant...