Story behind image of St. Francis of Assi

[kzarah]

 

 

     Is anyone familiar with the story behind this image of St. Francis?  I found a very cool framed print of this St. Francis at a yard sale.  This is the best copy of the picture I could find on the internet.  Of course the one that I bought has the complete image on it.  It seems I read or heard somewhere that it is suppose to be copied from an actual painting of St. Francis therefore the closest image we have to his actual likeness.

Daniel

 

 

 

 

 

[VoxClamantis]

It's Giotto, but it wasn't painted from life as Giotto was born in 1266 and died in 1337, and St. Francis was born in 1181 or 1182 and went to Heaven in 1226.

 

You can read more about Giotto here: http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/06565a.htm

[kzarah]

Thanks for the info.  I didn't realize that the image or picture that I have is just part of an image by Giotto

Daniel

 

[kzarah]

I have yet another Holy Card that I love very much of St. Francis.  I cannot find the image on line but it is St. Francis helping our Lord off of the Cross.  I understand it to mean that when we confess our sins we help our Savior down from the cross.  However, in the image it shows St. Francis with his right foot on a sphere (The earth I imagine) Could anyone tell me the significance of the right foot on the planet earth?

 

Daniel

 

[Ancilla_Indigna]

JHS

I don't know if this is what it means officially, but I would interpret an image of St. Francis with his right foot on the earth as having conquered the world, in a spiritual sense.  Indeed, he helped to transform the world with his powerful witness to Christ, by, infact, mortifying himself to the world and embracing the crucified Christ... even to the point of being united to him.

The right side of the body traditionally signifies moral right.  Also, what is under foot is what is metaphorically trodden, such as an image of the serpent's head being crushed by St. Martha, or for that matter, the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Where did you get these cards?  They sound beautiful!   Do you know the publisher?  I'd like to get some of these and pass them out.  A lot of 3rd Order Franciscans of today (both lay and secular) may have a better, more accurate image of St. Francis in these cards.