Saint Frances of Rome 

This panel, by Antoniazzo Romano, likely made in Rome in the late 15th century, depicts Saint Frances of Rome in two scenes. On the left, she seems to bless a sick man in his bedchamber, while on the right, she is presented with a kneeling man as two women look on. In Rome at this time, wealthy noble families sponsored the arts and religious institutions through donations. Frances herself was from a noble family. These donations allowed artists to produce paintings to be placed in churches, or, as is the case here, small personal devotional panels, which had a didactic function. Consider how this painting presents a social and institutional narrative. Frances was known for her charitable works, especially helping the poor and the sick, and the work emphasizes her saintly identity. We can study the patronage of the artwork and its context through archival research on the Roman nobility. By understanding the social conditions surrounding its creation, we can better interpret the meaning and purpose this art had for its original audience.