Saint Francis of Assisi c. 1610 - 1620

Curator: Before us is "Saint Francis of Assisi," an etching by Luca Ciamberlano, created sometime between 1610 and 1620. It is a striking figuration within the Baroque style, rendered meticulously in print. Editor: There's a certain… serenity to it, even with the dramatic light. His gaze is directed upward, almost pleading. The hands, though, are what truly capture the eye. Curator: The iconography is powerful. Saint Francis, haloed, clutching his chest – the positioning of his hands carries immense weight. It’s a gesture of supplication, of embracing divine love, a popular depiction tied to the stigmatic narratives. Editor: Absolutely. The hands symbolize not only devotion, but perhaps also the reception of stigmata? The rays emanating from behind certainly suggest a divine event. How interesting, though, that this etching coincides with socio-political unrest; were such images employed as a visual balm, promising solace? Curator: It's fascinating to consider this image in its socio-historical framework, especially when framed by Counter-Reformation strategies. Saint Francis represented a return to radical poverty and the gospel's literal interpretation. Within the tumultuous social landscape, such iconography offered a critical viewpoint towards the opulence of the period. Editor: The baroque is always rife with this play of dark and light. Looking again, his robe, the simple Franciscan habit, speaks to his commitment to poverty, mirroring ideas from thinkers then and still relevant in dialogues around contemporary equity today. It seems intended to inspire self-reflection on our material desires, then and now. Curator: Precisely, this piece, through Ciamberlano’s interpretation, functions not just as a religious object, but as a lens through which we can interrogate power dynamics and socioeconomic anxieties endemic to early modern Europe, themes with resounding parallels in our current global landscape. Editor: Seeing how the past echoes in the present is always such a privilege. This artwork provides so many potential readings that link us through cultural and social contexts spanning over four centuries. It also inspires self-examination and consideration of visual memory.