St Francis at Prayer
by ZURBARÁN, Francisco de, Oil on canvas, 158 x 101 cm
Zurbar�n produced devotional works relating to the founder of the Franciscan Order throughout his career, and through their stark simplicity and profound sense of spirituality, they can today be considered amongst the most evocative and iconic sacred images produced within 17th-century Spain.
In its simplicity and directness, Zurbar�n’s depiction of St Francis is entirely in keeping with the spirit of the Counter-Reformation, following the Council of Trent (1545-63), which encouraged a new focus on devotional life and re-affirmed the importance of the veneration of images.