San Francisco de Borja (Saint Francis Borgia) 1624

Alonzo Cano's 1624 painting, "San Francisco de Borja (Saint Francis Borgia)", depicts the saint in a black cassock, holding a crown placed atop a skull. The composition emphasizes the saint's somber reflection on mortality, a common theme in Spanish Baroque art. Cano masterfully uses chiaroscuro, creating a dramatic contrast between light and shadow that enhances the saint's contemplative expression. The artwork, with its focus on religious devotion and introspection, speaks to the profound spiritual beliefs of the time.