Sometime in the late 1470s, at the start of the Italian Renaissance, Giovanni Bellini stood in his studio before his finished painting. That painting turned into a masterpiece.
In it, Saint Francis of Assisi (known for renouncing the comforts of a wealthy life and for becoming “the first person to receive the imprint of the five wounds of Christ’s Crucifixion”), steps barefoot from beneath the shade of a simple prayer space, onto a rocky ledge. There, with face uplifted, the saint is bathed in a heavenly light. His arms extend by his side, mimicking the position of Christ on the cross. A shepherd stops to stare. Even the donkey and rabbit seem alert, aware that something miraculous is happening.
On view at the Frick Collection until August 28, St. Francis in the Desert is one of the masterpieces of the Italian Renaissance. A forerunner in the use of oil paints, Bellini is known for his attention to detail, and this work is a perfect example: from individual pebbles at the saint’s feet to the reflection of and shadows cast by the light onto the rocks, to the wrinkles around his eyes, from the trickle of water to the arched bridge in the background – no stone is left unturned.
The reason for this single-work exhibition is two-fold: to highlight one of the most beautiful works in the museum’s collection, and to present the findings of recent conservation work completed on the painting.
“In a New Light: Bellini’s St. Francis in the Desert” presents the findings of technical examinations completed by the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Paintings Conservator Charlotte Hale. Sent to the Met in the spring of 2010, St. Francis was scrutinized by a team of conservators, educators and curators who investigated the wooden frame, Bellini’s underdrawings, the thick application of paint, and much more.
The tests answered many questions that art historians have pondered over for centuries: Why are there crucifixion marks on the saint’s hands but not his feet? Are those marks by the artist himself or were they added at a later date by a different artist? What is missing from the upper portion of the painting after it was altered? (For answers to these and other questions, read and watch notes on the painting as presented online.)
The biggest question was what, exactly, the artist was painting? Was it the exact moment of Francis’s stigmatization? The answer, conservators believe, is somewhat more complicated than a simple yes or no. Through these findings, it is now understood that while St. Francis in the Desert is not a traditional rendering of stigmatization, it is an image of the saint’s spiritual connection – in mind, rather than in body – to Christ.
“In New Light” also debuts a multimedia room, located off of the Garden Court, where visitors can view high-resolution close-ups of the painting, watch videos and see some of the x-rays taken over the past year. The same technology can be used from your home computer, provided via the museum’s website and the Google Art Project.
The exhibition encourages visitors to take a closer look at this masterpiece of 15th century art. Discover the artist’s technique as you compare x-ray to painting. One of the greatest Renaissance artists of all time is on display in the Frick’s skylit Oval Room – don’t miss this opportunity to get a first-hand glimpse into the mind of a true master artist.
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