# St Francis's Vision of the Flaming Torch

[View the canonical artwork record](<https://beta.wga.hu/artists/greco-el-r8ef3afacca162f/st-franciss-vision-of-the-flaming-torch-r4ad7991de21488>)

## Artwork

- Artist: [GRECO, El](<https://beta.wga.hu/artists/greco-el-r8ef3afacca162f>)
- Date: 1551-1600
- Technique: Oil on canvas, 203 x 148 cm

## Commentary

In the early 160s El Greco had established himself as the painter &#39;par excellence&#39; of Franciscan mystical imagery in Spain. His workshop was producing countless copies after his compositions of St Francis for a demanding market. This painting in Cádiz was probably the latest addition to his Franciscan repertoire, and certainly one of the most inventive. The subject of the picture is taken from The Little Flowers of Saint Francis, a popular medieval account of St Francis&#39;s life. Using a palette of browns, greys and blacks, El Greco sets the scene against a rock in total obscurity. Particularly noteworthy in the picture the way in which El Greco contrasts the front and back views of the two Franciscan brothers, St Francis and his faithful companion, Brother Leo. El Greco has painted a piece of paper with his signature &#39;stuck&#39; to the canvas with a red was seal. Casting a shadow on the ground, it functions as a trompe l&#39;oeil simulation of a &#39;real&#39; business card. &lt;P&gt; &lt;TABLE ALIGN=LEFT CELLPADDING=5 BORDER=1 WIDTH=320 BGCOLOR=&#34;\#99CCCC&#34;&gt; &lt;TR VALIGN=MIDDLE&gt;&lt;TD&gt;&lt;IMG SRC=&#34;/support/gif/listen.gif&#34; BORDER=0 VALIGN=MIDDLE&gt; Suggested listening \(streaming mp3, 33 minutes\):&lt;BR&gt;&lt;A HREF=&#34;\#&#34; onClick=&#34;w=window.open \(&#39;/music1/18\_cent/haydn\_m\_mass.html&#39;, &#39;newWin&#39;, &#39;scrollbars=yes,status=no,dependent=yes,screenX=0,screenY=0,width=350,height=350&#39;\);w.opener=this;w.focus\(\);return true&#34;&gt;&lt;B&gt;Michael Haydn: St Francis Mass&lt;/B&gt;&lt;/A&gt; &lt;/TD&gt;&lt;/TR&gt;&lt;/TABLE&gt;

## Related artworks

- [A Boy Blowing on an Ember to Light a Candle \(Soplón\)](<https://beta.wga.hu/artists/greco-el-r8ef3afacca162f/a-boy-blowing-on-an-ember-to-light-a-candle-sopln-r2a0840a197cc6c>)
- [A Lady in a Fur Wrap](<https://beta.wga.hu/artists/greco-el-r8ef3afacca162f/a-lady-in-a-fur-wrap-r17bc5af266ec1e>)
- [A Prelate](<https://beta.wga.hu/artists/greco-el-r8ef3afacca162f/a-prelate-r6752ef04ade0b8>)
- [A View of Toledo \(detail\)](<https://beta.wga.hu/artists/greco-el-r8ef3afacca162f/a-view-of-toledo-detail-rde83c353dd06aa>)
- [A View of Toledo](<https://beta.wga.hu/artists/greco-el-r8ef3afacca162f/a-view-of-toledo-rc066c9db2d5956>)
- [Adoration of the Shepherds \(detail\)](<https://beta.wga.hu/artists/greco-el-r8ef3afacca162f/adoration-of-the-shepherds-detail-r381069254ae37c>)
- [Adoration of the Shepherds](<https://beta.wga.hu/artists/greco-el-r8ef3afacca162f/adoration-of-the-shepherds-r56f9b10b626e37>)
- [Adoration of the Shepherds](<https://beta.wga.hu/artists/greco-el-r8ef3afacca162f/adoration-of-the-shepherds-rd06d926a03bd14>)
- [Allegory of the Camaldolese Order](<https://beta.wga.hu/artists/greco-el-r8ef3afacca162f/allegory-of-the-camaldolese-order-rad53af523c9428>)
- [Altarpiece](<https://beta.wga.hu/artists/greco-el-r8ef3afacca162f/altarpiece-r3f59efc9f08380>)
- [An Allegory with a Boy Lighting a Candle in the Company of an Ape and a Fool \(Fábula\)](<https://beta.wga.hu/artists/greco-el-r8ef3afacca162f/an-allegory-with-a-boy-lighting-a-candle-in-the-company-of-an-ape-and-a-fool-fbula-r4b154dc2b33ffa>)
- [An Allegory with a Boy Lighting a Candle in the Company of an Ape and a Fool \(Fábula\)](<https://beta.wga.hu/artists/greco-el-r8ef3afacca162f/an-allegory-with-a-boy-lighting-a-candle-in-the-company-of-an-ape-and-a-fool-fbula-rb252535edad9f2>)

## Attribution

[Web Gallery of Art](<https://beta.wga.hu/pages/about>)