Spanish school; 17th century. "Ecstasy of St. Francis of Assisi". Oil on canvas. Re-retouched. It presents abundant repainting and woodworm on the stretcher. Measurements: 104 x 130 cm. In this canvas, of devotional character due to its composition, clear and simple, the author offers us an image of Saint Francis of Assisi, dressed with the Franciscan sackcloth, with a cord of three knots tied to the waist that can hardly be appreciated. The three knots represent the three vows of poverty, chastity and obedience. The saint is depicted full-length, standing in front of a landscape with a low horizon and clear sky, with his gaze directed towards the sky and open arms, in whose hands the stigmata can be seen. It is therefore a representation of Saint Francis, in ecstasy, receiving the stigmata. The story tells how St. Francis, while retired on the mountain, had a vision in which Christ appeared to him, from whose wounds rays emerged, causing the saint to suffer stigmata on his hands and feet. In this particular case, it is worth noting the presence of two figures, one running over the bridge and the other reading on the right-hand side of the composition. The figure is reading, so it may be a narrative scene representing the saint at various points in his life. Saint Francis (Assisi, Italy, 1182 - 1226) was the son of a wealthy Italian merchant. Baptised John, he soon became known as "Francesco" (the little Frenchman), because his mother came from that country. His youth was joyful and carefree until the age of twenty-five, when he changed completely and began to dedicate himself to the service of God, practising the Gospel ideal: purity, detachment and joy in peace. Francesco renounced the great inheritance he had received from his parents and decided to live poorly, giving the example of an authentic Christian. He soon had several young disciples, called by the saint "order of the Friars Minor". In 1210, Pope Innocent III granted them the foundation of the new order and encouraged them in their evangelical work. During a retreat on the mountain, Christ appeared to him, and legend has it that rays came out of his wounds, causing Francis various stigmata. He was a legendary figure during his lifetime, considered a living relic. Likewise, his exquisite poetry and his familiarity with nature add the most human accent known in a saint, as can be seen in his "Canticle to the Sun". Dimensions 104 x 130 cm.