Ecstasy of St. Francis

“Ecstasy of St. Francis.” (1601) Giovanni Baglione

Giovanni Baglione’s “Ecstasy of St. Francis.” (1601). In this painting we see St. Francis reaching a state of ecstasy after deep meditation on Jesus’ cross and crown of thorns. Luckily for St. Francis, an angel catches him as he falls backward. Baglione portrays this moment in time with the expression of spiritual rapture on St. Francis's face, the heavenly light illuminating the scene and highlighting his connection to the divine, and the dramatic use of chiaroscuro to create depth and emphasize the mystical atmosphere. These elements combine to convey the profound spiritual experience depicted in the painting.
Fun Fact - Baglione competed with Caravaggio for important commissions in Rome at the turn of the 17th century. He incorporated Caravaggio’s style for many of his paintings much to the chagrin of Caravaggio. Baglione took Caravaggio to court over some derogatory poems that he accused Caravaggio of writing and circulating around Rome. Caravaggio was found guilty and spent two weeks in jail. Baglione went on to be Caravaggio’s first biographer and while his disdain for the artist is plain, the text serves as the foundation for almost everything we know about Caravaggio today.