Saint Francis of Assisi c. 17th century

Curator: This is Michel II Corneille's "Saint Francis of Assisi", housed right here at the Harvard Art Museums. The monochrome aesthetic immediately draws you in, doesn't it? Editor: It does. I am immediately struck by how frail and vulnerable St. Francis appears. He’s barefoot, his eyes cast heavenward, but there's something incredibly humanizing about the depiction. Curator: The line work is really precise, especially when you look at the rendering of his rough habit. You can almost feel the texture of the coarse fabric. Editor: And that's important, isn't it? Considering his commitment to poverty and his radical identification with the poor and marginalized, the material representation of his clothing is vital. Curator: Exactly. It makes the spiritual accessible through the tangible. He's not just a saint; he's a worker, a man defined by his relationship to labor and material existence. Editor: Yes, and his expression reveals an interesting tension. The city looming behind him could represent the Church, the very institution he sought to reform. Curator: An interesting duality, then. The artist makes clear that he is a man divided between his love of humanity and the Church hierarchy. Editor: Absolutely. It makes the piece resonate even today, as we grapple with similar struggles for social justice and spiritual fulfillment. Curator: I never thought of it that way! Thanks. Editor: My pleasure.