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The Ecstasy of Saint Francis di Paola
(Baroque Europe )
Francis of Paola was a 15th-century Franciscan saint. He founded the Order of the Minims and was known for his austere lifestyle. Like Mary Magdalene, St. Francis of Paola had ecstatic visions of being lifted up into heaven by angels. The book and skull on the ground refer to his meditations.
The sketchy painting was probably a "modello" (preparatory sketch of a composition) for a larger altarpiece.
For more information on this painting, please see Federico Zeri's 1976 catalogue no. 380, pp. 497-498.
Provenance
Provenance (from the French provenir, 'to come from/forth') is the chronology of the ownership, custody, or location of a historical object. Learn more about provenance at the Walters.
Don Marcello Massarenti Collection, Rome [date and mode of acquisition unknown] [1897 catalogue: no. 482, as Murillo]; Henry Walters, Baltimore, 1902, by purchase; Walters Art Museum, 1931, by bequest.
Geographies
Italy, Lombardy (Place of Origin)
Measurements
Painted surface H: 28 5/8 x W: 21 15/16 in. (72.7 x 55.7 cm)
Credit Line
Acquired by Henry Walters with the Massarenti Collection, 1902
Location in Museum
Accession Number
In libraries, galleries, museums, and archives, an accession number is a unique identifier assigned to each object in the collection.
In libraries, galleries, museums, and archives, an accession number is a unique identifier assigned to each object in the collection.
37.1842