Creative Commons License
Creative Commons License
Creative Commons License
Creative Commons License
The Funeral of Saint Francis of Assisi
(Renaissance Europe )
A panel from the "predella," or illustrated base, of an altarpiece dedicated to Saint Francis, this image combines the funeral of the saint (died 1226) with his canonization, or declaration of sainthood, by Pope Gregory IX in 1228. The saint's body lies on a bier surrounded by a mourning crowd. The crowd includes fashionably dressed young men along with the lame and blind, who seek a miraculous cure by touching the saint's dead body. To the right, the seated pope writes the decree of canonization. The careful attention to fashion, vivid colors, and animated expressions are characteristic of the international, courtly trends encountered mostly in Northern Italy.
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.
Charles Woodyat, Naples [date and mode of acquisition unknown]; Charles Woodyat Sale, Tavazzi and Jandolo, Rome, April 15-19, 1912, no. 394 [as Benozzo Gozzoli]; A. S. Drey, Munich and New York [date of acquisition unknown], by purchase; Henry Walters, Baltimore, April 24, 1915, by purchase; Walters Art Museum, 1931, by bequest.
Exhibitions
| 2014-2015 | Sanctity Pictured: The Art of the Dominican and Franciscan Orders in Renaissance Italy. Frist Center for the Visual Arts, Nashville. |
| 1982 | God's Minstrel: St. Francis of Assisi. The Walters Art Gallery, Baltimore. |
| 1962 | The International Style: The Arts in Europe Around 1400. The Walters Art Gallery, Baltimore. |
Conservation
| Date | Description | Narrative |
|---|---|---|
| Examination | examined for condition | |
| Examination | examined for technical study | |
| 1/1/1945 | Treatment | cleaned; coated; filled; inpainted; reconstructed; stabilized; varnish removed or reduced |
| 3/27/2012 | Examination | examined for loan |
Geographies
Italy, Umbria (Place of Origin)
Measurements
Painted surface H: 9 3/8 x W: 19 7/16 in. (23.8 x 49.3 cm); Panel H including strips on both sides 9 15/16 x WL 20 x D: 1 9/16 in. (25.2 x 50.8 x 3.97 cm); Framed H: 13 3/4 x W: 23 3/4 x D: 2 3/4 in. (34.9 x 60.4 x 6.95 cm)
Credit Line
Acquired by Henry Walters, 1915
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.
37.456