St. Francis of Assisi Receiving the Stigmata 1635

Peter Paul Rubens painted this oil on canvas, depicting St. Francis, an ascetic, receiving the stigmata. The visual language here is steeped in Christian symbolism. The stigmata themselves—Christ’s wounds appearing on St. Francis—represent profound empathy and divine favor. Consider the skull: a ‘memento mori’ that signifies the transience of life, a reminder of mortality that dates back to ancient Roman triumphs. We find this emblem echoing through art history, from medieval vanitas paintings to contemporary works, each time resurfacing with nuanced meanings, and tapping into our collective subconscious awareness of death. Here, the skull underscores the saint's spiritual triumph over earthly concerns, echoing the potent emotional drama that marks Rubens' canvas. We see religious and cultural symbols shift and evolve, reflecting our enduring fascination with themes of sacrifice.