The ''Mystic Marriage of St. Francis'' is a painting by the Italian Renaissance artist

Sassetta ''For the village near Livorno, see Sassetta, Tuscany'' Stefano di Giovanni di Consolo, known as il Sassetta (ca.1392–1450 or 1451) was an Tuscan painter of the Renaissance, and a significant figure of the Sienese School.Judy Metro, ''Italian ...

, now in the

Musée Condé The Musée Condé – in English, the Condé Museum – is a French museum located inside the Château de Chantilly in Chantilly, Oise, 40 km north of Paris. In 1897, Henri d'Orléans, Duke of Aumale, son of Louis Philippe I, bequeathed the c ...

Chantilly Chantilly may refer to: Places France *Chantilly, Oise, a city located in the Oise department **US Chantilly, a football club *Château de Chantilly, a historic château located in the town of Chantilly United States * Chantilly, Missou ...

, France.

Description

The painting by Stefano di Giovanni di Consolo, known as il Sassetta (ca.1392–1450 or 1451) was originally part of a

polyptych A polyptych ( ; Greek: ''poly-'' "many" and ''ptychē'' "fold") is a painting (usually panel painting) which is divided into sections, or panels. Specifically, a "diptych" is a two-part work of art; a "triptych" is a three-part work; a tetrapty ...

Sansepolcro Sansepolcro, formerly Borgo Santo Sepolcro, is a town and ''comune'' founded in the 11th century, located in the Italian Province of Arezzo in the eastern part of the region of Tuscany. Situated on the upper reaches of the Tiber river, the town ...

, where it was seen by

Piero della Francesca Piero della Francesca (, also , ; – 12 October 1492), originally named Piero di Benedetto, was an Italian painter of the Early Renaissance. To contemporaries he was also known as a mathematician and geometer. Nowadays Piero della Francesca i ...

. It portrays

St. Francis of Assisi Giovanni di Pietro di Bernardone, better known as Saint Francis of Assisi ( it, Francesco d'Assisi; – 3 October 1226), was a mystic Italian Catholic friar, founder of the Franciscans, and one of the most venerated figures in Christianit ...

while ideally marrying the three

Theological Virtues Theological virtues are virtues associated in Christian theology and philosophy with salvation resulting from the grace of God. Virtues are traits or qualities which dispose one to conduct oneself in a morally good manner. Traditionally they have ...

, Faith, Hope and Charity, through the donation of a ring to them. The three virtues have differently colored dresses: red for Charity, green for Hope and white for Faith. Behind St. Francis, who wears his traditional brown monk habit, is his companion Fra' Leone. Alternatively, the painting illustrates the public pronouncement of St. Francis's vows according to the evangelical counsels of Poverty, Chastity, and Obedience. Poverty, barefoot, is central of the three female figures, the ring being slipped on her finger as Francis makes his vow of poverty, or perfect charity; Chastity is in white, and Obedience in red. As the three women leave, Poverty glances back, her bare feet more evident. Obedience, who stood with her arms crossed during the marriage ceremony, bears away a rood cross, both symbols of the cross of Christ and that which Francis will bear as token of his obedience. Chastity bears away the lilies of purity. Poverty carries (what appears to be) a palm frond, emblematic of entry into monastic order, and the victory of spirit over flesh. The scene is set in an idyllic landscape, between hills, castles and cultivated fields, without any attention to perspective and realism as in other Renaissance works. Sassetta was in fact one of the last painters of the Sienese Gothic school, as shown by the use of elongated figures, the delicate colors and the courtly atmosphere.

Sources

* {{Authority control 1450s paintings Paintings in the collection of the Musée Condé Gothic paintings Religious paintings Paintings of Francis of Assisi