Saint Francis and Angels 

Bartolomé Estebán Murillo made this ink and wash drawing, Saint Francis and Angels, sometime in the mid-17th century. The image depicts Saint Francis surrounded by angels, some playing instruments, others offering him support. Murillo was one of the leading painters in Seville, Spain, during the Baroque period. Seville at this time was a major port city and a hub for trade with the Americas. The Catholic Church was a dominant force in Spanish society, and religious art was extremely popular. Murillo received many commissions from the Church. It’s worth considering how the image creates meaning through visual codes and cultural references. Note the use of light and shadow, which was very important to the Baroque style. The light illuminates Saint Francis and the angels, emphasizing their divine nature, their expressions of pious devotion. By studying Murillo and his cultural context, we can understand how art reflects the values and beliefs of its time. Art history is a field that relies on various research resources, such as archival documents, theological essays, and studies of patronage, to better understand the meaning of art as something contingent on social and institutional context.