St Frans af Assisi i ekstase (Il perdono di Assisi) 1516 - 1517

Leonello Spada drew Saint Francis of Assisi in Ecstasy, likely in the early 17th century, using pen and brown ink on paper. The drawing depicts St. Francis kneeling before an altar, receiving flowers from an angel, with the Virgin Mary and Christ enthroned above in a heavenly realm surrounded by cherubs. Made in Italy, this piece reflects the strong influence of the Catholic Church on artistic production. The figure of St. Francis, known for his devotion and connection to nature, became increasingly popular during the Counter-Reformation. Church leaders used such imagery to promote piety, faith, and obedience at a time when the power of the institution faced challenges from the rise of Protestantism and early secularism. This drawing then can be understood as a form of propaganda designed to reinforce traditional religious values. To understand this drawing further, we need to examine the social and political context of the Counter-Reformation. Historians use primary sources like religious pamphlets, sermons, and institutional records to reveal how images like this contributed to shaping social attitudes of the time.