The early embroidered work of Saint Francis of Assisi, hand-worked to an oval ground of sky blue and ivory, depicting the Saint with a dove and presented in a later frame with gilded slip and surviving from the very early part of eighteenth century continental Europe.
Saint Francis of Assisi, born Giovanni di Pietro di Bernardone, informally named as Francesco, was an Italian Catholic friar, deacon and preacher. He founded the men’s Order of Friars Minor, the women’s Order of Saint Clare, the Third Order of Saint Francis and the Custody of the Holy Land. The Franciscan Order promoted devotion to the life of Saint Francis from his canonisation onwards and commissioned large numbers of works of art for Franciscan churches, either showing Saint Francis with sacred figures, or episodes from his life. In 1228 Francis was declared a saint by Pope Gregory IX, who laid the foundation stone for the Basilica of of Saint Francis in Assisi. According to legend, the doves at the Basilica arrived as soon as the foundation stone was laid and have roosted there ever since.
An appealing textile of good size and considerable age.
The work has some expected fade but overall there are no damages to note and it is in as good as condition as you could expect given the age, and the later glazed frame has kept it in tact one presumes. Please refer to the photographs for a full visual reference.
By appointment only.
