St Francis of Assisi in Meditation

Painted around 1623, this work by El Greco depicts Saint Francis of Assisi, full-length and in profile, in a moment of deep meditation in a cave.

The painting belongs to the collection of the Hospital of Tavera. It may have been commissioned by the rector, Pedro Salazar de Mendoza, who kept it in his "desk" at the hospital.

Dressed in the traditional Franciscan habit, the saint has his hands crossed on his chest, revealing the stigmata, or wounds, which, according to tradition, he received as a divine sign on Mount Alvernia in 1224.

The saint's eyes are fixed on a crucifix resting on a skull, immersing him in a profound contemplation of redemption and the mystery of death.

The skull, a symbol of mortality and humility, is a common attribute in depictions of penitent saints such as Saint Francis.

Next to the skull and the crucifix, on a very dark white cloth, we see a closed book, which could be a breviary.

The saint and his meditation objects are clearly silhouetted, illuminated, against the dark wall of the cave, on which a branch of ivy, a symbol of penance, appears.

The only hint of the outside world is a small opening to the sky at the top right.

This work by El Greco, probably painted at the end of the 16th century, is a later development of his half-length portraits of Franciscan saints. However, the artist would return to this theme in another composition.